Eternal Dawn
by Lizbit
Summary: For so long, Edward has maintained control of the monster within him. When Bella finally entices Edward to bed the control is lost. Can Edward forgive himself for his weakness and mistake? Or will Bella turn to Jacob who lurks in the shadows? *BD ALT* E
1. Plans

_Disclaimer: I presume to own nothing of Stephenie Meyer's characters or world. _

_**Author's Note:**_

_This story is how I had pictured this series ending. So, it begins directly after Eclipse, taking into consideration everything that had occurred in Twilight, New Moon, and Eclipse. If it was not previously mentioned in the three previous books, I decided not to use it. Therefore, no Renesmee, shapeshifters, or Bella's "shield". I have since decided to take on an entirely new approach to Breaking Dawn. Therefore, I give you: Eternal Dawn._

_I hope you enjoy it._

_**Please note that this story is rated "M" for Mature. There are scenes with sexuality, nudity, strong language, violence, and some scenes that may be frightening for young readers. Reader's discretion is advised.**_

_Yup, people, it's got all the good stuff!_

**ETERNAL DAWN**

**1. PLANS**

"God damn it!" I spat out, hanging up the phone in the kitchen; it cried out with a sharp ring for being so abused. Charlie really needed to invest in a newer phone. But, that's not what was bugging me.

Charlie poked his nose around the corner, worried. He furrowed his brow, obviously not wanting to be pushy, but his face spoke louder than his words. "Still no word from Jacob, huh?"

"No, and it's driving me crazy!" I exclaimed, completely exasperated. Jacob knew I would worry like this. Could _**that**_ be the reason for his sudden disappearance? He was _**punishing**_ me? I glowered, seething in anger. I knew, however, that if he would only call, I would melt like a popsicle in the Arizona desert.

"Did you two fight about something? Is there something you're not telling me?" Charlie asked, his detective eyes carefully investigating my response.

"When aren't we fighting about something!" I exclaimed, my back already turned, quickly retreating to my room. I had narrowly avoided the second question. I was a horrible liar, and was so emotional, I knew I would stumble over something. Like, perhaps an upcoming wedding?

I cringed, and shuddered at the same time. I loved Edward more than anything or anyone, but the feeling of being trapped intensified with each passing day. Given the choice of giving up Edward or marrying him, hands down, I knew what I would be doing on August 13th. However, there didn't seem to be any middle ground in this decision. No way we could both be happy.

Entering my bedroom, I immediately altered my mood as I saw Edward lounging on my bed. Ooh, that reminded me! I really needed to change those sheets...

He stared at me skeptically, his eyes hardwired to see the faintest sign of emotion in my face, as he couldn't read my mind. Thank God... He didn't need to know about the sheets...

"No word?" he whispered, aware of my father's nearby presence, but no doubt already knew my answer as there was certainly nothing wrong with his super-sensitive hearing.

_Oh! Right. Jacob._ "No, still nothing. Is he punishing me? Is that what this is about? I mean, I can't believe he just left like that. Not even a goodbye! I never would have done that to him. Never!"

Edward flinched; my words had hit home. However, he knew I wasn't talking about him, and his disappearance last year. Jacob was different. "You can hardly blame him, though," he said, reaching out to touch my hand.

Edward sympathizing with Jacob? That was new. "I'm surprised you feel that way," I admitted.

"Well," he began slowly, "I know what it's like to want to be near you, but can't." His voice trailed off, sinking into his despondent memory. I didn't think he would ever forgive himself for leaving, despite how readily I forgave him. A vampire's memory was just too intense, I concluded.

"Am I being unreasonable?" I asked, not really wanting to hear the response.

"I think he needs time."

I sighed. That wasn't so bad. I guess I had more than enough eternity on the horizon. The question was, though, did Jacob?

"And..." he continued, "I think you can't have everything."

Ouch. That one stung. I knew he was right, but it stung all the same. The unfairness of it all just really ached. Jacob wanted what I couldn't give him, and I wanted what he couldn't give me. It seemed both of us could never be happy at the same time.

Edward noticed my chin beginning to tremble, and he gently tugged my arm, pulling me to his arctic embrace. His cold skin felt refreshing on my hot and teary face.

I'm not quite sure how long we stayed there, like that. It might have been hours. I have the vaguest memory of falling asleep, but Charlie's voice in the hallway instantly stirred me from my sleepy stupor.

"Bella, do you realize it's quarter past two?! You're going to be late!"

I shot up. _Oh shit! Quarter past two!_ I was late for work, and on my last day, to boot.

Edward casually sat up, watching me with captivated interest at my flurry of moments, though I'm sure quite slow by his standards. "Shall I pick you up later?"

"No. I'm not sure what time I'm actually leaving. Mike said something about a cake..." Normally I would have put up a huge fuss and objected such an idea, but I was beginning to learn to just take some things in stride. Some fights just weren't worth fighting for.

"I'll be waiting," he said deliciously, his golden eyes piercing into mine. For a moment, I was completely transfixed and dazzled, practically drooling as his charm and breath washed over me. Shaking my head and pulling myself together, I said, "Don't _**do**_ that to me when I'm late!"

He simply smiled his crooked impish grin, and kissed me. "I'll save it for later, then."

This time I did not allow myself to be swept along. I simply held my breath. Romance would have to wait.

I skipped down the steps two at a time, and grabbed my coat and bag in the hallway. "Bye, Dad. See you on Sunday!"

"Whoa now, wait! Wait!" he called after me.

I paused in the doorway, impatient to leave. Mike's mom was neurotic about punctuality.

"Is Alice going to meet you at the store?"

Ok, I had already told him one fib today. The slumber party story had worked in the past, and Edward and I were anxious for some more alone-time that didn't involve hiding out in my bedroom. With the good weather, his family happily went hunting, leaving Edward, the house and me on our own. I was girlishly excited. It was just like playing house!

"No," I said, anxious to escape. I reverberated the cake story, as I had with Edward, saying that I would just drive myself to the house after work. Charlie nodded his head, and I had the strangest feeling that he saw straight through the lie. It wasn't until he opened his mouth again that I wanted to die on the spot.

"Just...be safe."

Ugh. Uncomfortable! I turned away, replying, "Don't worry, Dad. It pretty hard to die from manicures and facials."

"Uh huh," he said unconvincingly, and nodded as though not believing a syllable I had said. I again gave my hasty farewell.

Had I known _**that**_ would be the last time that I would ever see Charlie again, I would have kissed him goodbye. But as it was, I was running late.


	2. Monster

**2. MONSTER**

It took two tries, but my truck finally roared to life. The streets were wet and relatively empty of cars as I barreled along, trying to make up the few minutes I was running behind.

I parked my truck, and glanced at my wristwatch. Dang! Three minutes late.

Pulling open the door of the shop, a little cluster of bells jingled above my head, blabbing my tardy entry. I hurried to the back, carefully avoiding Mrs. Newton's hawk-like eyes.

Mike and I collided in the doorway, nearly knocking me over. He reached out, grabbing my arm as I steadied my feet. I noticed that his hand waited there a little longer than necessary.

"Hey! You okay?" he asked, the usual boyish charm emanating from him.

"Yeah. I'm sorry I'm a bit late," I said, squeezing past him, stuffing my purse in a locker, and pinning my name tag on.

"Oh! Late? Didn't even notice!" he replied, though not altogether convincingly.

I cringed at the thought of the conversation I had likely just missed. "Good," I said, suddenly anxious to vacate myself from a trapped doorway with Mike.

"Say, listen," he began, his eyes incessantly blinking. "You really should give me your email address so we can stay in touch next year. I'm going to miss not seeing you every day."

"I'll miss you too," I said, slightly touched by the sentiment, but feeling realistic at the same time. Once I became a vampire, I'd be forced to give up everything of the norm, and everyone in it. I would miss Mike.

He held out a pen and a yellow sticky note. I scribbled my email address on it, and he handed me his. Smiling, I tucked the paper into my pocket. _So what if I was going to be a vampire? I could still keep track of people, right? I could still email. Would I have to let go completely?_

I went to the front desk, only to wait for an excited fisherman to purchase an insanely expensive fishing rod. The last customer seemed like a hunter of sorts, and purchased a massive hunting knife. I recoiled from holding it in my hands, imagining what kind of wound it could inflict.

I looked up at him. "That'll be ninety-seven dollars and sixty-eight cents," I said, waiting for payment. As he searched his pockets, I was afforded the opportunity to really look at him for the first time. His face was young and smooth, but his hair was blond-white. He towered over me, and as he placed the cash into my open hands, his finger grazed mine in a small caress. His fingers were cold, but not like Edward's. I glanced up at him, and he smiled, apologizing. Creepy, I thought.

He left, and the store became dead. At a quarter after four Mrs. Newton brought out the cake. It had two frosted graduates on top, and two candles, one for Mike, the other for me to blow out. She insisted on photos, and I noticed again how closely Mike pulled me to him, and how friendly his hand was around my waist. Not inappropriate, but not comfortable, either.

"Well Bella," Mrs. Newton began, "since it's your last night, why don't you take off early. I'll pay you for the full shift as a good-bye present."

"Really?" I asked. "Thanks, Mrs. Newton!" I said, hugging her and Mike goodbye before I escaped for my private weekend with Edward.

I was free. The job wasn't bad by far, but I felt elated to be leaving. This summer had so much promise and expectations. My life was finally moving on.

I smiled as I walked to my car. I had just opened the door of my truck when a rough hand grabbed my neck, covering my mouth. I dropped my bag, struggling with the unknown assailant until a large knife came into view. The same knife I sold to the creepy guy not an hour earlier. It still had the Newton's price tag on it.

"Don't move. Don't scream," the man hissed in my left ear. He pushed me to his car which was running and waiting nearby. I glanced around, desperate for someone to drive by, or see me as they walked their dog. But it was a Friday night, and the street was empty. I was pushed roughly into the front seat. Immediately, I reached for the handle, but it had been disabled. Stupid child security devices!

I turned around, watching him as he climbed in, changed gears, and took off down the street without saying a word. The knife glistened between us in his right hand.

My heart pounded in my chest as the adrenalin pumped in my veins. Think, Bella, think! "You don't want to do this!" I warned, my voice shaking and sounding small. "My father is the Chief of Police! He'll wonder why I don't come home tonight! He won't stop until he finds me!"

I hoped. I prayed.

He didn't pull over. He sat there, knife ready, a half-cocked grin on his face, silent as a mute.

He pulled into an old gravel driveway up to a large century home. It was an imposing two story that showed definite signs of age beyond repair. He climbed out, knife still at the ready and whispered, "Out, and don't make a sound."

For a brief second, I considered my options. What if I refused? Would he attack me with the knife? What if I obeyed? Would I get a chance to run?

Carefully, my heart still beating fast, I crawled across the seat, and stepped out. He twisted my wrist - there would definitely be a bruise there tomorrow. He brought the knife down dangerously close to my arm, and the thought of it being cut began to make my head swim.

No, I couldn't faint! Not here, not now! I pulled myself together as he pushed me into the house.

The inside was just as decrepit as the outside. Plaster was crumbling off the walls, and mouse droppings littered the floor. He brought me down the hall into a room with boarded up windows. It appeared to be the office, and it struck me that it once would have been a very impressive room with its dark wood paneling. But, as it was, it was all to pieces.

A large desk sat toward one wall, with a lone chair in the centre of the room. It looked as if it had been placed there purposefully, and that terrified me. He pushed me into the seat, and moved to stand behind me.

Of all the people that Edward couldn't hear, why did it have to be me? I screamed in my head for him to hear me. Maybe if I just concentrated hard enough... Thought long enough...

I thought of Alice, but my heart quickly dropped. She was already miles away hunting. _Would she see me? I had not made this decision. Would she sense my danger and alert Edward? Or, was I simply all alone with a monster?_

Vampires and werewolves had become my norm. I barely took notice of the demons of my own species, anymore. But now, as he stood behind me, his hot breath on my neck, I damned myself for not taking better caution.

He stepped away, and leaned against the ancient desk, his eyes bearing down on me. He was within arm's reach, as still as a statue, soft heaving breaths escaping him. Trembling with fear, my mind raced, trying to think of some way that I could prevent the two horrors that I suspected were about to happen, from happening. He stood there like stone, but I could not lift my eyes to meet his gaze. I could only tremble as though I were sitting on a block of ice. And then, without a word, he attacked.

A scream escaped me. Perhaps it was a gut reflex, for I heard it before I felt it. His iron-like fingers caught my wrist, and tightened, shutting off the life-blood to my hand. I swung my arm about, trying to hit him, punch him, anything. I caught sight of his face. Never before had I seen that sort of rage...mania...blood-thirst. Not even in James. His free hand grabbed at my shirt, ripping the seam.

Every fibre of my being was screaming. This could not be happening! Not this! I was by no means a clairvoyant, but I knew what was about to happen. First rape, then the slaughter. I would die.

I twisted around, desperate to hold him off as I reached for something cold and hard on the desk. I didn't know what it was, but it fit well into my hand. I swung like I was heaving a curve ball at Yankee Stadium, and it sliced through his brow as it went. Blood gushed from the wound, and he was momentarily blind in one eye with blood. I didn't wait for him to react.

I swung back again with every ounce of strength in my arm, making impact at the side of his head. A strange sound occurred, and he blinked at me, as blood splatted out of his head. However, his claw-like grip still held strong, so I hit him again...and again...and again until he let go, fell, and his unmoving eyes stared at nothing in particular.

I had not thought I could tremble harder than I already had been, but I was wrong. Watching the fast current of blood pool around his head like an evil halo, I dropped my saving grace, and it landed on the floor with a loud smack, denting the wooden floor beneath it. And for the first time, I gazed at the thing that had saved my life. A stone apple, made out of the purest white of marbles. Blood was smeared across it, like a blemish.

A noise whipped me back to reality. _What was that? A door creak? _Old houses creak all the time. But as I stood there, a river of blood coming ever closer to touching my shoe, I was forced to face up to yet another terrifying reality. _Did this monster, now dead at my feet, have a __**friend**__?_

_What should I do? _My mind raced again, and I could barely control my hands, either due to the adrenaline, or pure fright. An old rotary phone, much like Charlie's, sat on the desk. _Yes, I should call Charlie!_ I picked up the headset, but as I placed it to my ear, I received another hard blow. No dial tone. I pressed down on the button again and again in desperation, but that didn't solve my problem.

_Oh God!_ my voice said in my head. _There it is again!_ That same creak, but closer? I needed to run. Escape! But, how?

Another creak.

I swung around, desperate for a way out.

Another creak.

That's when I became six years old again, and my house was on fire. The flames were already at my bedroom door, licking the bottom of it, telling me that I was going to be next. I screamed, but could not run. The fiery monster was close and coming to get me. I did what any six year old would do against a monster like that. I hid in my closet.

Another creak, this one just outside the room.

I grabbed the letter opener sitting wantonly on the desk, and then crawled into the cavern neath the middle drawer. _Why is my breathing so loud?! _

Another creak, this one distinctly close by, and air caught in my throat, trying to betray me. I sat, my face turning scarlet as I struggled to hold my breath; my weapon poised and ready.

And then, it happened. He jumped down, gazing in, and I screamed and thrust. His strong, cold hand easily over-powered mine, and then he spoke, "Bella! Bella, it's me! It's okay!"

I opened my eyes, as a wave of relief washed over me. Edward was there. I let fall the blade, and he pulled me close to him, his powerful arms drinking me in. A rush of tears filled my eyes - I could not hold back.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked, his voice mutinous, every syllable filled with barely controlled rage.

"No," I sobbed, my hands still clinging to him.

He breathed deeply, and I felt myself begin to calm. His scent filled my lungs, and my nearly-exploding heart began to slow.

"Bella, we can't stay here. We need to leave." He pulled me up as though I were a rag doll, completely supporting my weight.

Walking around the desk, we gazed down at the bloody mess at our feet. The man was now sheet white, surrounded with black blood. I turned to Edward, and saw his face contort, as his breathing ceased completely.

"Please Bella, we have to go. The blood... It's not safe."

"What about the police? Shouldn't we call Charlie?"

"I'm afraid I will not be able to control myself much longer, Bella." He began to shake, and his eyes grew dark and menacing, making me recall the first time I saw him in Science Lab. He looked...dangerous.

I nodded, more than willing to escape this deathtrap than to remain in it.


	3. Mistake

**3. MISTAKE**

Edward was again driving like a maniac, but this time I welcomed the speed. I wanted to be away - far away from the blood and gore. I didn't want to hear the monster's voice or smell his foul breath. But no matter how recklessly fast Edward drove his Volvo, I just couldn't escape it. It haunted me, pulling me back to the dilapidated room where death lingered.

He glanced over at me, as I stared blankly out into nothingness. Looking down at my hands, I noticed for the first time them stained with blood. My eyes travelled to my clothes, and discovered that dozens of tiny ruby droplets littered my shirt and jeans.

"Are you okay?" he asked, his voice anxious, but it seemed far away. I couldn't think. Couldn't concentrate.

I had killed someone.

It was self defense; the words resounded in my head. To protect myself, I was okay with taking his life. But it didn't change the fact that he was dead, and I was covered in his blood.

"Bella, are you okay?" Edward repeated, now firmer and louder, snapping me out of my trance. His right hand reached over, taking mine. Though cold, it grounded me, bringing me back to the present.

"I'm alive," I whispered.

"What?" he asked, his face anxious.

"I'm okay," I answered again. _Was I okay? I didn't really feel it. Oh, God. What would Charlie say?_

Before I knew it, we pulled up to Edward's house, and like a lightning strike, he was at my door, pulling me up and carrying me inside. My eyes stayed closed as I clung to his neck and chest, escaping his sweet smell and away from the bloody gore that was my reality.

He let me down with the greatest of care. I teetered on the spot for a moment, and then knew what I must do.

He hung back as I made a beeline to the bathroom, and slammed the door. With strangled disgust I stared at my horrific reflection in the mirror. Blood was freckled across my face and had congealed in my hair. Anxious to be clean, to be rid of the monster, I stripped, and dove into the sanctity of the shower.

I stood under the rush of scalding hot water, the tainted blood now long gone. I still couldn't be completely rid of it, however. Its smell seemed to linger, clinging to my skin. I stared down at my wrist; my most current war wound. It was bright purple, and extremely tender. Edward would be wrathful. I shuddered to think of Edward losing control, even on such a man...

Despite not being able to hear him, I could almost sense Edward pacing back and forth like a leopard in a cage. He would be angry - furious - lethal. If the monster wasn't already dead, that is.

But he _**was**_ already dead. _**I**_ had killed him.

I stood in the shower until the water had become icy cold. Shivering, I turned the valve and dried myself off, slipping into Alice's bathrobe. I sat down on the cold bathroom floor, digesting all that had happened while slowly rocking back and forth. Retracing the steps, I relived each memory, every small detail until the vileness of it all rose into my throat, and I made a swift motion for the toilet, thankfully, making it in time.

I lay back down on the tile, desperate to be free from the memories for a while. But my mind wandered restlessly into chaotic nightmares, yet I did not sleep.

"Bella? Are you okay?" Edward's anxious voice called on the other side of the door. "Please Bella. Let me in."

I could hear him, but I felt dazed, as though I were trapped in a dream. I called to him, but no sound escaped my lips.

"Bella, are you alright? Unlock the door, please." His voice was firmer now, but I sensed his panic. The thought of getting up exhausted me. _Why was I so tired?_

I flinched as Edward broke down the door with one loud crash. Blinking, I struggled to process what was happening. He stood over me, his face a wreck, and gathered me up in his arms. "You're freezing."

_How could he tell?_ I wondered, but somehow my thoughts never left my mouth. He lay me down on his bed, covering me with the duvet, shying his icy hands away from me. I had never wanted them more.

Lying down beside me, he bore an expression of pure anguish across his face. Placing his hand on mine, he begged, "Bella, what are you thinking?"

_Lots of things_, I replied, though not apparently with my lips. _Why wasn't my mouth working? Or my brain, for that matter?_

He bit his lower lip, his breathing now becoming faster and heavier. "Bella," he commanded. "Oh, why can't I hear your thoughts?! Please tell me what you need. What can I do?"

I gazed up at him, our stares locking. His golden eyes clung onto mine for dear life, it seemed. "Hold me," I whispered, my voice breaking in my throat. In a motion that seemed too fast to be possible, I was locked in his arms, at last feeling safe and protected.

My eyes opened, and I immediately noticed that we were in a dark room. Edward still lay unmoved, holding me as tightly as when he had first pulled me close in his iron embrace. His steady breathing had lulled me to sleep, but for how long?

"What time is it?" I asked, not daring to move, less he forfeit our snuggle.

"I thought I sensed you wake up," he said as his hand moved only to stroke my hair. "It's nearly nine o'clock."

"Huh. I don't even remember falling asleep." I took a deep breath. I didn't really want to ask him this, but given the gravity of the situation, I knew I didn't have a choice. "Did it all really happen? Please say it was just a dream."

His breathing stopped, and my heart sank. It was true, then.

"It was self defense..." he answered.

Somehow, that knowledge didn't help. Part of the problem being the daughter of a police officer, you knew the law all too well. Self defense was excusable enough, but how about failure to remain at the scene of a crime? Failure to notify the police? My stomach tied in knots.

"Oh God," I said, suddenly feeling immensely sick. "The apple! The paper weight apple! It's what I use to..." My voice trailed off as I stared at him, desperate for him to make the connections. "My fingerprints would be all over it. And the letter opener! Oh my God! What do I do?" I sat up, shaking, trying not to hyperventilate.

"It's okay," he said, pulling me close to his chest. "Bella, I wouldn't have been so careless as to leave any stone left unturned."

"What are you talking about?" I asked, tears overflowing down my face.

"While you were in the shower, I went back."

"You...you went back?!"

"You're not the first person to accidently kill someone," he said gravely. "We still need to be careful that any activity we do, does not give people reason to suspect."

I turned my head away, startled. He had told me that he had killed people before, but I had never received details.

"I'd never had to worry about fingerprints before, but don't worry. I didn't leave any evidence that could implicate you."

I could not help but breathe a sigh of relief. Charlie would never have to know. No one would. It'd just be our secret, and I could move on with my life. The monster was dead, and there was no bringing him back.

I closed my eyes, and fell into his arms. I could barely put together a thought as to how much I loved and trusted him. He was the one person in the whole world that I felt would truly do anything for me. That loved me to the essence of my being and soul.

I lay back down upon the bed, my hand reaching up, caressing his pearly face. My thumb gently brushed his lips, and a fire was kindled between us. His skin seemed to warm neath my fingertips, much like the first time we had kissed. I knew the blood inside him boiled, and his breathing intensified. My heart began to race as he slowly leaned down, kissing me.

The fire turned to a torrent, and with my feeble grasp, I pulled him toward me. He complied, and I relished in feeling his weight on top of me. Edward, always the perfect gentleman of days gone by, was hesitant to be too carefree with his hand. Taking his warming hand in mine, I slowly moved them up to my breast, reveling in his unfamiliar touch.

His hand, however, would not cooperate. He quickly moved it back, and our lips broke apart. "Bella, what are you doing?"

"You know what I'm doing."

"Bella," he began, but I was quick to interrupt.

"I want to, Edward. I need to feel something wonderful when I close my eyes. Something to take away the nightmare in my head. When you touch me, when I'm close to you, I feel so much better. I feel whole again. The monster can't get me. I'm safe."

"You're far from safe," he said, darkly.

"I _**am**_ safe. I love you. All I want is to show you how I love you, and for you to show me." He stayed perfectly still, and I knew there to be a battle ranging within him. His breathing again filled my face, and I sank in ecstacy. "Show me how much you love me," I whispered. In a fluid motion, he submitted to my will, and kissed me.

What I had thought to be passionate before, proved insignificant compared to how his lips now roamed my face and throat. His hands, once reluctant, now wandered over my body, excited to feel every curve.

If it was dangerous, I didn't care. This was what I wanted. I felt more alive than I had ever felt before, and I didn't want to stop.

With a free hand, I brazenly pulled open my bathrobe, thanking the dark for its inky concealment. I am by no means an exhibitionist, and felt ashamed of my weak frame compared to his sculpted Greek God appearance.

I heard him gasp, and slowly look down at my nakedness. Inwardly, I prayed vampires did not have night vision. I had never before thought to ask.

"Are you sure?" he asked, a part of him hoping I would change my mind. It was a futile hope.

"Positive."

His face seemed to contort with lust and anxiety, and he reached around his shoulder, pulling off his shirt. My breathing quickened, and I delighted in the feeling of his cold-hot chest naked on my own.

In a motion that was definitely too fast to be human, his jeans were sent flying, and he hovered over me, naked and prepared. His eyes flickered, and his breathing ceased. His arms were as rigid as iron bars, but his blood warmed as my fingers passed over his bare skin.

My face reached up, and I kissed him so gently, coaxing him to come toward me, to let our passion envelope us. I succeeded.

His will succumbed, and within an instant, our naked bodies were pressed together, as one. I had anticipated pain, but had not thought it would last. Every motion sent a shock wave through me, but I didn't want it to stop. He was here, and there was nowhere on earth I would rather have been.

It was at that moment I felt an unmistakable pain. So sharp, my eyes flew open, and a cry escaped my lips. Edward continued to hold me in a feverish embrace, and then all of a sudden, he pushed me away, his eyes wide with horror.

"Oh my God, Bella!" he cried, shaking his head. I watched him, as I began to quake, and within an instant, the all too-familiar ache seared through my entire body, blinding me with agony. He had bitten me. The pain shot in waves, jabbing like a thousand knives. Already, I wanted to die.

"Bella! Bella, look at me!" he demanded. My eyes opened, but my vision was weak and blurry. I could just make out the outline of his face when his cell phone went off. He grabbed it, looking at it in vain. "Alice..."

My whole body trembled as the fire spread throughout my veins, burning the flesh within me. I could not contain my anguished cries.

He commanded my eyes to open again, and his face came close as he stroked my brow. "Bella, I have no choice. I'm going to suck out the venom like I did before. But...I'm afraid I won't be able to stop." Despite my excruciating pain, I could see that he was hurting nearly as much as me. He truly was a tortured spirit, and in this instance I knew for absolute certainty that if I allowed him to save me, I would assuredly lose him forever.

"No," I hissed, my throat tight and parched.

"Bella, it's got to be done. I swore I'd never let you die."

My breathing was rapid and hot, as though the fires of hell were erupting out of my throat. Yet, I remained focused. As horrible as it was, this was what I wanted. What I had always wanted. "No," I hissed again, my eyes pleading. Let me have just this.

Edward rose, picking up his leather sofa and hurtling it out the window, smashing the glass into a thousand pieces. He roared with tortured anguish, falling onto his knees in horrendous defeat. I watched him, thankful that he had let me win. That is, until another serge of scalding pain stormed through my body, making my mind turn black as night.

Time seemed to know no existence. Nor love, or the will to live. They did not exist in my consciousness. There was only pain. I could occasionally hear distant voices, make out a few words, but I was forever cast into darkness, banished from light. Memories flooded my mind, but the visions quickly became nightmares, hunting me down. I could not escape them.

I remembered that Edward had said it would take three days for the change to occur. The unbearable torture was merciless, breaking my will to live. I felt words escape my lips at times when I simply could not contain them any longer. I distinctly remember begging to die. In death there would be peace. There would not be Edward, but at least my body could succumb, and there would be no more suffering.

And then, as suddenly as it had started, it stopped.

I died.


	4. Awakening

**4. AWAKENING**

The signs were unmistakable. Carlisle hovered over Bella's still frame, and witnessed the miracle form in front of his very eyes. Inside her ravaged body, a persistent heart beat slower and slower until at last, it beat no more. Bella, as everyone had known her, was dead.

And a new Bella was born.

"Shh! Everyone, stand back," Carlisle commanded, and those present obeyed without a word. All eyes were on Bella as she stirred for the first time, raising a ghostly white hand to her brow, feeling her face for the first time with new skin.

No one breathed. All simply stood still, waiting to meet the newest member of the Cullen's family of flesh eaters. Her eyes opened, blacker than ink. It was a new world!

In a flash that startled even Bella, she leapt off the bed, backing up against the broken window, cornered like a frightened animal.

"Bella," Carlisle said gently, all the while smiling. "You are not alone. We are with you. You do remember us, do you not?"

His eyes were patient, she could easily discern that. A memory stirred, but not once did she let down her guard. There was only one who she wished to see. Only one who could appease her. It was his scent that she hungered for, but even as she glanced about the room, she knew he was not there. "Edward?" she asked, unnerved by the silkiness in her new voice.

Upon this, Alice stepped forward. Her face was cautious, but steady. Jasper was not far behind. Wherever she moved, he moved. So should it be, thought Bella, with her and Edward. So had he promised her it would be. But where was he?

"Edward's gone out," Alice said gently, trying to mask her trepidation. "Don't worry, Bella. He'll be back soon."

"He left me?" Bella asked, hunting their faces for answers. Even Esme, whose face always was kind and gentle, could not hide from her searching gaze. Secrets and lies filled the room, and Bella's anxiety grew.

"Just calm down, Bella," Emmett said roughly, stepping forward.

Instinctively, Bella hissed, and leaned into the attack stance.

"Emmett, no!" Carlisle ordered, holding out his arm, and Emmett reluctantly retreated. "Jasper, this situation is getting out of hand."

Jasper clapped eyes on Bella, and made a step toward her. However, far from soothing her as he used to, she hissed again, edging ever closer to the broken window, shards of glass cracking under her bare feet.

His face contorted with concentration, and he turned away, exasperated. "I cannot, Carlisle. She is blocking me somehow."

"This isn't right," said a quiet voice, snatching everyone's attention. All eyes turned to Rosalie, who stood shaking her head, fighting the demons within herself. "She deserves to know the truth."

Esme touched Rosalie's shoulder, but she jarred it away, her eyes holding fast to Bella's dangerous black pearls. "He left, Bella, and we don't know where. He's not answering his phone, and he's hiding from Alice." She shook her head, her eyes sparkling with hate. "Must you ruin everything for us?"

"Rose," Emmett said, his voice firm, letting her know she had gone too far. She simply shrugged him off, and stomped away. Her words had struck a chord in Bella, however, that no one, not even Alice, could have foreseen. As the rage of the newborn savage swelled within her, the human child within cried out in agony. Edward had changed her, but didn't want her anymore. She let out an anguished wail that startled all but Carlisle, and without a moment's hesitation, she leapt from the second story out the window out into the night.

Alice rushed to the room's edge, watching as some glass shards soared over the edge. But, Bella was nowhere in sight. "We need to find her! It's too dangerous. She won't be able to control herself!"

Carlisle took a deep breath. "Alice and Jasper, track Bella. When you find her, convince her to come back home. Say whatever you have to, but make sure she's safe. Emmett," he said, turning to his son who towered over him, "You and Rosalie find Edward. He needs to be made aware of what's happened."

"It's been two days," Emmett said, shaking his head. "He could be anywhere by now."

At that moment Esme chimed up, speaking everyone's worst fears. "The Volturi?"

Carlisle turned to Alice's small, anxious face, but before he could speak, she exclaimed, "I've been trying, Carlisle! He won't let me see! Somehow he's avoiding decisions, maybe just accepting whatever presents itself."

Jasper placed a tender hand on her neck, soothing her. "Just focus, Alice. Try again, for Edward's sake."

Yielding, Alice closed her eyes, standing as still as a statue, desperate for anything to show itself. It was the tiniest of visions, merely a glimpse, as though Edward's eyes flashed open for only a nanosecond, but it was enough. "I see...water. An ocean, I think." She sighed heavily when no more would come. "I'm sorry, that's all. He knows I'm trying."

"An ocean?" Emmett said, smiling. "Well, that narrows things down a bit, doesn't it?" He then strode from the room, not wasting a moment.

Alice, however, was hesitant. "You know what needs to be done, Carlisle? It won't be pleasant."

"I'll do it," Esme said, leaning into Carlisle as he wrapped his arm around her. "I don't mind."

With that, Alice and Jasper exchanged a pregnant glance, and soared from the window.

"Don't worry, love," Carlisle breathed as he pulled Esme close to him. They'll all return safely. I'm sure of it."

"All of them?" Esme wondered aloud, praying that Carlisle was right, and there was nothing to fear.


	5. Return

**5. RETURN**

_Dad,_

_I'm sorry. It's insane, and I know you must be so mad at me for running off like this - again. The truth is, I'm not at mom's. Edward came back early on Saturday and told me about an amazing opportunity. He'd been invited to tour around Europe with some friends of his family, and he invited me along. It's so last minute, we just took off. I understand if you can't forgive me. I promise I'll email you regularly, and call as soon as I'm able._

_I guess I have too much of mom's gypsy blood in me - can't seem to settle down anywhere._

_I'm sorry, Dad. I love you._

_Bella_

Esme sighed deeply, sending off the email. She wrote a similar one to Renée, and then snapped the laptop closed. She shook her head, feeling anxious and angry. Her heart went out to Charlie and Renée. To lose a child... She hated the thought of participating in a parent's suffering. She knew she was only buying time. The lies would eventually catch up with them. The fictional Bella and Edward, the happy Bella and Edward, could only backpack around Europe for so long. Eventually, a decision would have to be made.

Sensing his wife's distress, Carlisle went to her, his gentle hands rubbing her shoulders as she sat, staring at the hibernating computer. "It's the only way," he said softly.

"I know. I just wish it were different. That no one had to get hurt."

"Things may yet work out."

"And for Charlie and Renée? Will things work out for them when they hear Bella is dead?"

Carlisle had no answer, none at least that could ease Esme's distress. He knew she was right, and that one way or another, someone would have to suffer. There simply was no happy ending for everyone.

Suddenly, the door opened.

"Edward!" Esme cried, jumping up and throwing her graceful hands around his neck. He held her close, avoiding Carlisle's eyes. He felt like the prodigal son, returning after learning his parents were right. However, their eyes only displayed joy upon seeing him.

"I am sorry I left," Edward said, his voice much affected. "It was wrong of me. Please," he said beseechingly, gazing at Carlisle for the first time. "I need to see Bella. Where is she?"

Neither Carlisle nor Esme could answer. How does one tell?

Perplexed by the silence, Edward voyaged into Carlisle's mind, and was devastated at what it held.

"No!" he exclaimed, overwrought, staggering on his feet. "Oh no, please God! Say she didn't go!"

If Esme could have cried, she would have. She wrapped her tender arms around him. "She was just so distressed..."

"That I wasn't there," he finished, hating himself to the very core. He glanced around the house, listening. It was silent as a grave. "Where is everyone?"

"Emmett and Rosalie are looking for you," Carlisle said, his face tender and forgiving. "They'll be glad you're finally found. Alice and Jasper have been tracking Bella for two days now, but are not having much luck. She's proven to be very cunning."

"Why can't they find her?"

"Much to Alice's aggravation, she cannot seem to see Bella's movements. Her decisions appear to be clouded, much like with the werewolves."

"Why?" Edward asked, his anxiety over Bella's safety growing more with each passing second.

"We think," Esme injected, "it may be part of her special strengths. Before, Alice could see her future, and Jasper had the ability to calm her. But you, you were never able to see into her head."

"No," Edward agreed, his mind racing. "And Jane...one of the Volturi, she could not harm Bella. Her powers proved useless."

Carlisle nodded his head. "We don't know if during her change her powers intensified, but we do know that Jasper tried, but could not calm her, and Alice is virtually blind. They are both extremely frustrated."

"Now they know how I feel," Edward said, his memories rekindling of the myriad of times he had tried, unsuccessfully, to read Bella's mind. But, no. It had always been a closed book. "I'll go to them. I'll be able to track her scent better than anyone," he made a movement for the door, but Carlisle called him back.

"Wait, Edward. There is something you first must know."

Edward waited, but again, Carlisle could not put it into words. It was too gruesome. Reluctantly, Edward again dove into Carlisle's memory, in which he was talking to Alice on the phone.

"Oh God..." Edward said, repulsed, feeling sick with guilt. "Oh no!"

"I'm afraid so," Carlisle confirmed. "There have been three known attacks since her disappearance. Judging by her movements, she is headed into British Columbia, along the coast."

"Are you sure it's her?"

"It's most definitely a newborn, and one alone. With every additional slaying, we worry about the Volturi. It may not be her, but Jasper believes it is."

"Call Alice for me," he said turning, his voice dark and his eyes filled with self-hate. "Tell her I'm on my way."

"Just one last thing," Carlisle said reluctantly, stopping Edward in his tracks. "Something you should know. The victims...each one's name was Edward."


	6. DEMON

**6. DEMON**

In a small town, forty-five miles east of Vancouver, a vampire strolled down a shadowed street. To the silent observer, it would appear that the stunning beauty was merely passing the time, trying to get from point A to point B. They could never guess that inwardly, a battle raged ever onward.

The human in Bella was simply no match for the newborn demon, filled with ferocious might and unharnessed fervor. Her small, frail voice was but a lamb trying to compete with a lion's roar. When calm, her humanity seemed to recover, and once again Bella's mind was filled with thoughts and dreams of her lost life. Once the demon awoke, however, it easily overcame the gentle side, dominating her will and spirit.

The birth of the demon had brought about an intrinsic confidence that Bella had not foreseen. She was suddenly gifted with charm, and enchantment. She radiated sensuality, so different from her former awkward self. Now, the only time her confidence trembled was when she thought of one, very particular, person. The one person she was desperate to forget, and whose name she now claimed murderer to five times over. The memory of Edward humbled her, bringing her back to her old reality. Yet, it also awoke a furious rage in the demon who sought revenge. The kind of revenge that would hurt Edward, to his very centre, for once again abandoning her.

However, this night in particular, she was unusually calm, having brunched earlier the previous morning. She had stumbled upon the town of Port Elgin, and decided to explore. It was nestled east of the Rocky Mountains, had a fishing port, and was so like Forks that at first, Bella thought that she had somehow wandered home. Upon closer examination, however, she perceived her mistake, and walked about the dark town in curious examination.

She had smelt the group of boys a far distance off, and steadily walked in their direction, not really having the inclination to take another victim. Approaching them along the sidewalk, she listened to their idle prattle about school, Wii games, and girls.

She met up with them, gave them a casual glance, catching their mystified faces, and strode on past.

"Yo, Eddie!" one of the boys called to another. "Is she new on your street?"

Bella's ears perked up. Her head turned ever so slightly, and a smile crept over her face. The name sparked a desire. She kept walking, but her pace slackened.

"I dunno," Eddie replied, turning back to gawk at Bella's retreating silhouette. "I'll see you guys later, okay?"

"Like you've got a shot in hell against a girl like that!" one called back.

"Shut up," Eddie hissed, turning to watch Bella's fluid stride move farther away.

The boys grinned, and strode off, allowing their friend to make a fool of himself without an audience. The boy gathered his courage and ran after Bella. "Excuse me. I'm sorry. You look familiar. Do I know you?"

Bella smiled at his pathetic excuse for an introduction, but decided to play into the boy's desire. "Um, I dunno," she replied, coyly. "What school do you go to?"

He blinked at her a moment. There was only one high school for twenty kilometers. "Port Elgin High," he said.

"Me too! Who's your English teacher?" Bella asked, her eyes bright with bloody desire, yet too dark for the boy to see.

"Mrs. Westerman."

"That must be it. I thought I recognized you, too."

Eddie blinked. He was sure he would've noticed this girl before, but shrugged it off. He'd played hooky on Friday; perhaps she was new. "Right. Say, what are you doing wandering around here in the dark alone? You should be careful. Sometimes there's bears in these woods."

"I'm not scared. Are you?"

"No!" Eddie replied rather unconvincingly.

"Actually," she breathed, stepping close to his face so that her perfumed scent washed over him in billowed waves, "no! Never mind."

"What?" Eddie asked, smiling and eager. "Tell me!"

"No, it's...it's embarrassing," Bella replied, turning her head, masterfully playing her part.

"I won't laugh. Really!"

"Well..." Bella turned back to the boy, his wide eyes expectant, and she knew she had him. She could sense it. His will was in her grasp, and his life was for the taking. "You see, I just moved here, and I went for a walk. But in the dark, I've gotten a little lost."

"Oh!" Eddie replied, drinking in her scent. "Well, let me help you!"

"That'd be great!" she said, flashing a demure smile. "I think it backs onto the woods...over there." She pointed to the north, where a hundred acre forest loomed, blocking out the night sky. She strode in her desired direction, Eddie following along like a dazed, spellbound puppy.

"Where, uh, where did you move from?" he asked, trying to shake the haziness from his brain.

"Phoenix. You ever been?"

"No," Eddie replied. Trying to impress this goddess of a girl, he could never admit that he had never been out of British Columbia, and even then, never farther than Victoria. "Wow. What was Phoenix like?"

"Hot. Dry." They now stood at the cusp of the forest, a trail flanked by two old houses.

Eddie blinked, and tried to inconspicuously escape the incoherent thoughts befuddling his mind. "You live _**here**_?" he asked, confused, pointing to a white house with chipping paint and turquoise shutters. He had thought it was owned by a grumpy elderly couple with a cannibal for a dog.

"Just for a visit."

"Oh," Eddie said, nodding. "So...I guess I'll see you in school on Monday."

"Oh, don't leave yet! Say, listen," she said, moving so closely to his face that their noses nearly touched. "Do you want to do something fun?"

Eddie allowed her fragrance to fill his lungs, and without a will or a care of his own, agreed.

"Follow me," Bella beckoned, disappearing into the thick of the forest. Eddie blindly followed, his instincts now dull, desensitized. He stretched his arms out, searching for her, suddenly desperate for her intoxicating fragrance. He stopped, his eyes straining to adjust to the lack of light. Whirling around, she was nowhere to be seen, and his gut told him that he had just been duped. "Hey! Where are you?" He could not even call her name, he realized. She had never told it to him.

"Right behind you," Bella said, raising her hands up for the kill.

Suddenly, a giant wolf stepped out of the shadows, its heavy breathing coming in sharp, growling bursts.

Eddie stood frozen on the spot, unaware of the greater danger behind him. The wolf stepped closer, its growl becoming even more menacing. Squeezing his eyes closed in horror, Eddie felt the oddest sensation trickle down his pant leg. His eyes flashed open upon realization, and despite the darkness, he prayed that Bella wouldn't see.

Bella, however, had her eyes fixed upon the approaching wolf. She slid slowly into the attack stance, her teeth bared and ready.

In a swift, lightening-fast motion, the wolf lunged, soaring clean over the shrieking boy, landing squarely on Bella.

Eddie ran home, never looking back. Not to see if the wolf was chasing him, or even to discover if Bella was being mauled to death. He simply ran, having narrowly escaped certain death.

Bella, on the other hand, was far from succumbing to that fate. Her iron-like arm, shot out, slamming into the neck of the giant beast, sending it flying back, hitting a tree. It fell to the ground, and scrambled up on its feet again, watching with its glowing eyes. Bella prepared for another onslaught, and crouched forward, prepared.

The wolf however, seemed to be deciding its next course of action. It simply glared into Bella's dark eyes, sizing her up. It let out a long wail, and Bella backed up, wondering if more were on the way.

But suddenly, a shape emerged out of the wolf's skin, bursting forth like a cat leaping from a tree. Bella blinked, and the wolf was no more. Now, only a naked individual stood in front of her, unabashedly displaying his state of nature.

Bella stood up, her state of alarm decreasing, as she studied the man standing before her. The man studied her as well. "_**Bella**_?" the man said incredulously. Bella would have known that voice anywhere. It belonged to Jacob.


	7. Reunion

**7. REUNION**

Bella and Jacob stood opposite each other for several minutes, neither saying a word. Their eyes studiously examined each other's body, strenuously looking for any sign of oncoming attack. At long last Jacob, deciding it was safe enough to put his shorts on, picked up his bundle off the forest floor, and shook it free with one swift motion, cracking the air. "So, he finally turned you, did he?" he spat, his voice filled with malice.

Bella did not reply. She simply gazed at Jacob's muscular form, every inch of his manhood, as he slipped into his cut-off Levi's.

"Where is the bloodsucker of the hour, then?" Jacob buttoned the fly of his jeans, and sniffed the air, specifically seeking out Edward's scent. His head snapped back down in surprise. "I can't smell him. Where is he? What happened?"

A flutter moved inside Bella as she struggled with the two entities within herself. This was Jacob standing in front of her - _**Jacob!**_ Her old friend, confidant, and life preserver. A part of her, she knew, still existed within him. But could she trust him, or would he simply tear her apart as his pack had Laurent and the other newborns? And more importantly, could she trust herself around him? She again sniffed the air, and was surprised by the change in his smell. Not a trace of human remained. It was all canine.

"Are you finished yet?" he demanded impatiently. "Or are you just deciding on the best time to rip my throat out?"

"You smell different."

"Ditto, but hey! It's _**you**_ who's different, not me."

"It wasn't always that way. I seem to recall a time when you couldn't go out into a snowstorm in bare feet and shorts, and didn't have fleas."

"I don't have fleas! But at least I'm still human."

"If you call smelling of dog, not aging, and being able to change into a wolf at will human..."

"Bella," he said curtly, "Don't avoid the question. Insult my smell all you like, but don't insult my intelligence as well. Why is Edward so far away from you? Why are you on your own? And, what were you doing with _**that**_ guy?!" he added, pointing in the direction of the now long-fled Eddie. "He peed his pants for Christ's sake!"

"That was you who scared him, not me."

"I want answers, Bella," he said darkly, taking a step forward.

The demon in Bella began to soften, and her human side rose up. "Some things just don't go according to plan."

"What's _**that**_ supposed to mean?"

"I just mean that..." Her voice faltered, and for the first time since her creation, she felt frail and weak. The thought of Edward leaving her touched a nerve. She took a deep breath, feeling strangely small. "Things don't always work out the way we think they will. That's all."

Jacob was no fool. His eyes bore into hers, as he struggled to read between the lines. He strode up to her - dangerously close - yet, neither had any wish to strike. "He left you there, didn't he? For all his self-righteous, high-and-mighty bullshit, he changed you, and then took off. Didn't he?"

"Yes."

Jacob let out a roar of rage that bore a strong resemblance to a wolf's growl. Clenching his fists in fury, he turned about, looking for a target for whom he could release some wrath. He found it in the bole of a tree, and he kicked it, denting the bark inward. "Well, there's just one thing to be done then," he said, his chest heaving, and his eyes savage. "I'm going to kill him."

"No!" she said firmly, stepping in his way. No longer was she the frail little girl for whom everyone could push around, so weak and breakable. Now she stood as Bella the Vampire, bones of iron and muscle of steel. "No," she repeated, due to the argument in his eyes. "I don't want that."

Jacob let her stand her ground, and did not cast her aside as he had done in the past. He had felt her astonishing strength, but that was not the reason for his relenting so easily. The truth was, he reveled in her touch, ice-cold though it was. "Tell me, Bella," he implored. "Why? _**Why?!**_Why on earth should you care what happens to him after he's done this to you - _**again**_! How many times have I begged and pleaded with you to leave him? My father too, and you never listened! Now look! See where you've got yourself, where he left you, and..."

"Enough with the 'I told you so's," she said, interrupting.

"Fine, but just answer me this: After all that he's done to you, after all of the danger that he's put you in, after all the hurt he's caused both you and Charlie, why can you possibly care what happens to him?"

Bella thought hard and deep. Indeed, she had been thinking along these same lines prior to meeting Jacob. Why did she care? After all the pain he had put her through time and again, could Edward's words turn out to be prophetic in the end? Was it really best that they were never friends? Should she have gone running and screaming from him? And with those questions, came back the memories. The touch of their hands, the look in his eyes, the passion they had shared. And she knew. "Because I love him."

"_**Oh, wake up!**_" Jacob bellowed, storming around, his body so tense and hostile he felt it difficult to control. "Can you possibly believe he loves you? I asked you that once before, the last time he left, in case you've forgotten. If it was really love, how could he conceivably leave you once, let alone twice!"

"What are you talking about, Hypocrite?! You left me! Off you ran, leaving me scared to death for you, and mad at you because you said that you would never do that!" Bella turned away quickly, suddenly anxious to be away from him and all the sour memories. It was always the same old thing. The same old argumentation, the same old reasoning. "None of this matters anymore," she said coldly, not even caring if he followed. "We can't undo what's been done. Like it or not, I'm a vampire now, and nothing you say or do can change that."

It was now Jacob's turn to give chase and block her way. "You think I care about that?! You say you still love him. Well, answer me this."

"I've already answered a lot of your questions tonight," she snapped back.

"Fine then, don't answer. Just listen. When you found out I was a werewolf, what did you say? You said, 'I don't care.' That's it! You didn't care what I was, and now I'm telling you that I don't care what you are. Human...vampire...hell, you could be a flesh-eating zombie and I couldn't care less! I love you, Bella. I told you I would always love you, and I meant it."

Bella stared into his large, brown eyes, and for the first time, her human side suppressed the demon. She felt more like her old self than she had in a week. "I love you too, Jacob."

Without word or warning, Jacob swept in, kissing her. His scalding lips met her icy mouth, and both succumbed to the desire in each other's frantic embrace.


	8. Rules

**8. RULES**

In all honesty, Jacob wasn't sure how well he would sleep with a newborn vampire at his side. It was unknown how much control Bella had over her killer instincts, and so he decided to change back into a wolf, in hopes of less temptation. It was more comfortable by far, sleeping on the forest floor as a wolf, anyway.

He changed over, and she stood by a tree, a bed of moss at her feet. Jacob, the wolf, walked over to it, gave it a long sniff, pawed at it for comfort's sake, and then turned in circles in search of the best spot. He at last curled up, his large head resting on his front paws.

"That's one human necessity that I actually miss," Bella said absentmindedly, half talking to herself, and half to Jacob, whom she knew couldn't answer her. The time spent in her room with Edward was the happiest in her life. She had never felt safer or more content, knowing that when she awoke, he would assuredly be there.

In the long night that followed, Bella grew more appreciative for what Edward had nightly endured. Jacob's restlessness gave way to exhaustion, and then the snoring came. _How did Edward occupy his time,_ she wondered. She gazed down at Jacob, grateful for the companionship, but try as she might, she couldn't stare at him with the same awed reverence that she knew Edward had bestowed upon her. Whether it be that Jacob was in the form a wolf, or because it was_**Jacob**_and not_**Edward**_, she didn't know. All she knew was that she was bored stiff, and so, decided to climb.

Jacob awoke at dawn the following morning alone. He yawned, stretched his four legs, and gazed about, sniffing the air for Bella. In a fluid motion that appeared as though he were leaping, the human Jacob ruptured through, naked in the brightening forest. He slipped back into his shorts, all the while his eyes scanning the trees for any sign of her. "Bella?" he called, his voice echoing in the wold.

Lightning fast, Bella appeared beside him, her face coy. He looked at her thoughtfully with a new, disturbed expression. "You're eyes," he said, a note of displeasure in his voice. "I didn't notice last night. They'll really creepy."

Bella's coyness vanished, and inwardly, she wished she had a pair of sunglasses. "It's the newborn in me," she said, turning away, ashamed.

"Wait," he said, his hot hands grabbing her shoulders, turning her back to him. "Don't hide. Lemme see." She turned back, her face still and expressionless. Jacob inspected her, searching out every alteration. "You've got higher cheekbones," he said, as though he were making a list. "Paler skin, insane red eyes...lips a little fuller, but that's about it. I guess the beauty genes could only enhance you so much. You were, after all, already beautiful."

"Shut up," Bella said, involuntarily smiling. She was waiting to feel the rush of heat to her cheeks, but it never came. It was then that she realized, it would never come again. Just another thing that Edward would lament over and miss. If he cared, that is...

Her eyes suddenly became sad, and she turned away.

"What is it?" he asked, his grip unrelenting.

Bella shook her head. "Just remembering."

"Hey, past is past, right? We are what we are right now, Bella. I understand now that I can't change what I turned into anymore than you can help what you are. I've been figuring that this was destiny, somehow. You and I... Like, last night I was thinking about Emily. About how dangerous it is for humans to be around people like me - werewolves. And now, it all makes sense! You're so strong, Bella, I can't hurt you! Don't you see? Before I always had to be so cautious that I wouldn't lose it; that I wouldn't accidently kill you. I don't want to try to prove my theory or anything, but right now, I'm betting that you're pretty much...unbreakable. I just think, somehow, this was all just meant to be."

Bella stared into Jacob's elated face, but didn't feel what she knew she should have felt, what he so desperately wanted her to feel. Somehow, there was no comfort. It should be Edward this relieved, this excited over the benefits of her situation. Instead, Edward rejected her, mourning the loss of her frailty, the one thing that had kept them apart. The loss of it would now keep them apart forever.

Jacob's expectant gaze was unceasing. "You're driving me crazy, Bells! What are you thinking?"

"I think..." Was she condemned to spend all of eternity alone? Was she better suited to vampires, or could not the love that Jacob and she shared go beyond limitations and boundaries, even if Edward's love couldn't? "I think...that makes a lot of sense."

They lip-locked into an arctic fiery embrace, and only separated several minutes later when Jacob's stomach reminded him of his still-human tendencies. "Oh!" he exclaimed, laughing and rubbing his empty stomach. "Yeah, I guess it has been a while since I've eaten. I'll have to head into town for awhile. I hope you don't mind."

"I'll go with you. I could use a meal myself." Bella spoke without thinking, but the moment the words passed her lips, she regretted them. Jacob turned on her, his face dire.

She smiled, but unconvincingly. "Just a joke."

"That reminds me, Bella. We need to have a talk about your menu. Don't think you're fooling me by claiming to have been eating the local bunny population. I saw you last night with that guy. I smelt your thirst, so tell me honestly. How many have you had?"

The demon within growled in protest. It was natural to feed off people, after all, but the human-side felt distinctly dirty, as though it were lovers that she was confessing to, not meals. "Five."

"Shit Bella," Jacob said, shaking his head, smiling. "I always knew you were bloodthirsty. Well, there's nothing for it. You want to be with me, you know what you have to eat, and it ain't humans. Or werewolves," he added for good measure.

"Well, I guess if that's your only demand," she said. Jacob was bestirring in her all the humanity and feeling that she had been trying to repress. It felt good for them to be free again. The demon within began to settle.

"Well, there _**is**_ something else," Jacob replied, awkwardly. His eyes suddenly appeared sheepish and unwilling. "But, it's more of a question, rather than a request."

_Uh oh,_ Bella thought. "Go on."

"Uh...I was just wondering why...you're still wearing that ring."

Stunned, Bella gazed down at her left hand for the first time in more than a week. Edward's engagement ring. It was now so much a part of her hand, that she had not given it a moment's consideration. Yet now, seeing it sparkle up at her, it felt strangely unpleasant on her hand. A declaration to a love that no longer existed.

Jacob suggested, "Why, uh, why don't you take it off?"

"I don't think I'm ready to. Not yet." Bella had replied honestly, but braced herself for the storm that was about to erupt from Jacob's mouth.

The storm, however, never came. "Okay," Jacob replied, curiously confidant. "Let me know when you are, and...I may be able to replace it with something better."


	9. Meeting

**9. MEETING**

Bella and Jacob separated so that they both could eat. Jacob would scrounge what he could, and Bella would take a turn at hunting game instead of Homo sapiens. They would return to the same spot after they had each dined el fresco, spend another night in the forest, and then travel north.

That was the plan, anyway.

But as Jacob returned from stealing some havarti cheese and pumpernickel bread out of a local kitchen, he froze mid-step and mid-chew. The leaves above his head rustled in a summer breeze, and he whirled his head around, scanning the brush and undergrowth of the forest.

"Hello, Jacob," said a familiar voice, and within an instant, Jacob was no longer alone. It was suddenly a party of four.

Jacob cast away the bread and cheese, the hair on the back of his neck standing on end as he towered over the intruders. "Edward, Alice, Jasper. What the hell do you all want?"

Edward sensed she had been there, and recently. Jacob's reaction to seeing them only proved this point. He was hiding her. Instinctively, Edward moved into the crouched, attack stance, his eyes never straying from his target.

Alice, blind to the future in Jacob's presence, was unwilling to allow the boys to come to blows. She shot a telling glance at Jasper, who quickly put all his strength into calming the love-stricken warriors. The ferocious mood diffused slightly, but if looks could kill, both Jacob and Edward would have dropped dead on the spot.

"Where is she, Jacob?" Edward asked, his jaw clenched and tight.

"Who?" Jacob replied, preferring to play dumb with the leeches.

"You know who. Bella," Edward said, his raging golden eyes never straying from Jacob's impassive face.

"Bells? Haven't seen her. You know, you really should keep better tabs on your girlfriends, Bloodsucker. But, I couldn't blame her if she took off."

Edward ignored the spoken remarks, and decided to attack Jacob's thoughts instead, but with little success. "Can you _**stop**_ saying the twelve times tables in your head?! We know she's here. I'd know her scent anywhere."

Jacob grinned nastily, but something eerily silent exchanged between the two. Edward winced, and swallowed hard.

Concerned, Alice asked, "Edward, what is it?" Unwilling to utter a reply, Edward simply shook his head.

"Enjoyed that, did you?" Jacob said viciously. "I know I sure did."

In a flash that was all rage and snarls, Edward lunged at his adversary. Alice and Jasper instantly caught him, however, much to Jacob's disappointment as much as Edward's.

"No, seriously!" Jacob thundered, calling to them. "Let him go! Let's have this out, Edward, you and me! The last one standing gets Bella. What's the matter? Too noble and self-righteous to kill a human?! I promise I'll have no regrets killing you!"

Jasper looked as though he were merely bored, and turned to Edward's murderous face, thinking, _This is a waste of time. Perhaps Bella has already left him._

"No," Edward replied to Jasper. "She's close."

"I'll go," Alice said, about to take off.

"No!" Edward said, grabbing her hand. "She'll think we're trying to trap her. She must come of her own accord."

"But Edward," Alice said, shaking her head. "She'll just run again."'

"Not this time," Edward assured. "She'll know I'm here."

All the while, Jacob had been screaming bloody murder, enraged that the three were speaking in whispers, ignoring him. "Did you hear what I said, Leech?! Come on! Fight me!"

Edward broke free of Alice and Jasper's grasp, rounding on Jacob. "Yes, I heard you!" he roared, his voice full of vim and passion. "I have the benefit of listening to both your poisonous speech and thoughts, but I won't fight you, Jacob!"

"Coward," Jacob spat, his bare chest heaving.

"No, wise. Even when you scream your thoughts at me, shove intimate moments in my face, you betray yourself."

Utterly bewildered, Jacob said, "What are you talking about?"

For the first time since his arrival, Edward seemed to melt into despair, letting down his iron-clad guard. "I know who'll she'll chose, Jacob. After all that I've done to her...I don't know why she'd choose me. You're right. She's better off with you."

Jacob didn't know what to say. "Right. So...go."

"We can't," Jasper said. "The Volturi are coming. They want to meet Bella. You can't run from this. They'll wonder why Bella isn't with her maker."

The word 'maker' made Jacob sneer, as though he had just smelled something foul. "I can take care of Bella."

"This isn't up for negotiation," Edward snarled. "Bella's safety is foremost. She may be immortal, stronger than the rest of us combined, but she can't hide from the Volturi. No one can."

Scowling, Jacob said, "So, what next then?"

"We wait."


	10. Found

**10. FOUND**

Through inexperience and lack of timing, it took three tries before Bella had finally succeeded. The elk now lay still on the ground, peaceful but for its wide black eyes. She wiped her mouth so that it was free of blood, gazing down at the streak of crimson that before would have made her lose consciousness.

Hunting animals was not in the least how Bella had expected it to be._ Humans are so much easier to manage_, she thought. A few well chosen words, charm, some sultry breath, and the victim was bedazzled. There was never a fight. It was easy as pie.

Animals, she realized, proved to be different in every instance. Romance did not even come into the equation; instincts played a much larger part. She gave herself into stalking her prey, sniffing the air, and letting her senses guide her in the hunt. She had never before felt so bestial. It was as though she had manifested into a cheetah, swift and lethal, her prey having little chance against such an assailant.

She strode away from her fallen kill, her mind again wandering into shadowed thought. It should have been Edward teaching her, guiding her in the art that is the hunt, not leaving her alone to scramble, learning the hard way.

_What would Edward make of me now?_ she wondered. Would he be disappointed with her, that she had feasted on human lives? _More than likely_, she reasoned, _he would blame himself._ Yes, but that is why she had done it, seeking out victims with one similar attribute: they each shared Edward's name. The demon within had known it would torture him.

But now, her thirst abated and the demon repressed, the faces of her victims returned to haunt her. She didn't want to be the demon anymore, just another monster, replacing the one she had destroyed with a marble apple. Jacob had restored her to herself. It was there that she had again found peace, and there that she wanted to return.

She moved at a break-neck pace, but appeared as no more than a flash of black, streaking through the forest. But suddenly an alarm sounded inside of her, and she came to a sudden halt, her feet skidding along the damp earth.

She was perhaps a mile from Jacob and her meeting place, but even at that distance, the scent was incredibly strong. Edward's scent. She would have known it anywhere. She imagined coming across it a thousand years from now, still being able to ascertain its owner, without a second thought's consideration.

He had come for her.

But on what grounds? Was he repentant for abandoning her when she had needed him most, or was he simply playing the errand boy, dragging her back for his coven. She wasn't sure at what age newborns were allowed freedom. Edward had mentioned his rebellious teenage years, but she was certain that was longer than her two minutes with the Cullens.

Images flooded her mind of the Cullen clan, controlling and heartless. She was quick to return to reality, shaking her head in an attempt to rid herself of the irrational visions. She knew their source. The demon within, ever wary and vigilant, was forever focused of self-preservation. But in this instance, Bella knew her own mind. The Cullens were not the monsters she feared. Nothing the like of which she had become in their absence.

She would go to Edward, and see.

But even as she moved toward his position, her heart recoiled. What were his plans? What if he no longer loved her, and had come to tell her as much? She admitted that did not seem logical. If Edward wanted to be rid of her, he need only stay away. "I must see his face," she decided. She could visualize him in her mind's eye so perfectly, but what was the message behind those mystic golden eyes? What desire; what yearning?

_And what of Jacob?_ That thought made her stop completely, as though she had hit an invisible wall. What if Edward still loved her? Would she choose him? Indeed, _**should**_ she? She knew what Jacob would say. She didn't need him there to hear his argument. _"He left you before Bella - twice - and he'll do it again!"_ She had to concede that the chances were likely that one day Edward would indeed forsake her, and not return. Never in the years she had been with him did she feel equal to his perfectness.

She shook her head, anxious to be finished with all the confusion and second-guessing. She was tempted to run, escape like before. She knew herself now; she could live off the animals and still consider herself human. But despite the desire to flee, she couldn't elude one unavoidable fact: Edward was there, and wanted to see her.

Her newfound hunting skills proved most useful. She crept up on the waiting party, watching them curiously from the crest of a hill. None spoke, or seemed distinctly happy to be there. Edward was disappointingly turned away from her; she could not see his face. Inwardly, she willed him to turn around, to see her first. Would he smile? Would he embrace her? Would it all be as it was?

"Bella!" Jacob's deep voice rang out, startling her out of her reverie. She smiled as Jacob ran to her, but quickly turned back to see the golden in Edward's eyes. There they were, as warm and beautiful as ever, but the face they belonged to was closed and guarded.

Jacob stood closely beside her, claiming his territory. "They've been here an hour."

It was then that Bella took more notice of Alice and Jasper being in the company. At first, her eyes had only seen Edward. Alice smiled kindly at Bella, and she sensed an approaching conversation. Edward, however, made no motion toward her.

"What do they want?" Bella whispered, but was pretty sure that she was overheard regardless.

Taking a deep breath, "Something about those bloodsuckers. The Volterry...

"Volturi," Bella corrected, unsmiling. The Volturi only meant one thing, and it was not good...

"Right," Jacob replied, his eyes dashing back and forth between Bella and the Cullens. "I dunno. Sounds like a bunch of bullshit, an excuse to get you back in their little happy bloodsucking family."

Unsure, Bella again turned to Alice, whose gentle face she knew she could trust. She would have first turned to Edward, but at that moment, there was too much emotion. Too many hurt feelings; too much uncertainty. Alice, she hoped, would be honest.

She strode forward, and Alice, perceiving Bella's desire, flitted forward to meet her. They met at a mere ten feet from Edward, but still he said nothing. Unconcerned, Alice wrapped her white arms around Bella, and stared into Bella's crimson blood-filled eyes with the warmest of affection.

Edward gasped inwardly, seeing Alice's long-ago vision turn to reality before his very eyes.

"Bella, how I've missed you this week!" Alice said, smiling as though meeting under such conditions and with such a recent history was not at all peculiar. "I've been close, but always a step behind. I'm so glad we finally caught up with you. Edward is much better at tracking you than we."

Bella's eyes turned to Edward, hoping for some piece of comfort, but was rejected. Edward was looking away.

"I've missed you too, Alice," Bella began, choosing her words carefully. "But tell me, why did you feel the need to track me?"

"For everyone's safety, not just yours," Alice explained, not a drop of condemnation in her bell-like voice. "We've all been there, remember? It's best at the beginning to be around those who understand what you're going through."

Jacob growled at Bella's side, but a sharp look from Bella quieted him. He stepped away, giving her space.

"Is it true," Bella whispered, "about the Volturi? Are they coming?"

"Soon," Alice replied, nodding her head. "I don't think we have much time."

"Is this the truth, Alice?" Bella asked, skeptically. "I have excellent hearing now, remember? I know what Carlisle told you. 'Say whatever you have to,' he said. How do I know that I can trust you?"

"I have never lied to you, Bella," Alice replied, her eyes steady and open. "Not even when others wished me to keep certain truths from you. I knew that wasn't fair. Trust me now. They're coming."

Without another moment's hesitation, Bella said, "Alright. I believe you. So, what now?"

"Now," Jasper said, stepping forward to join the conversation, leaving Edward on the outskirts, "we must move. At best, we are thirty hours of running away. It's not known when they'll arrive, but we must be prepared."

"Now hold on a second!" Jacob said, again stepping close to Bella. "What about Plan B? Bella, you don't have to go with them! I can protect you! I can take you far into the north, where the bloodsuckers can't find you. You'll be safe!"

"You don't know them, Jacob," Bella said, undeterred. "You don't know what they're capable of. They're not a secular little coven; they are an army, and not one to cross." Aro's marble face drifted into her consciousness, a curious smile stretched across his stark face. "If they're coming, I have to be there. You don't understand what we'd be up against." Again she turned to Edward, hoping the memories had touched him too. Their eyes grazed only a moment before he tore them apart, finding the local flora and fungi more interesting than her.

"Then I'm going too!" Jacob declared, leaving no room for argument.

Jasper didn't regard Jacob's tone with much consideration. "He'll slow us down," he said matter-of-factly to Bella. "We don't have the luxury of time."

Jacob snarled, baring his teeth, never before looking more like a werewolf in human skin.

Bella held him back, her wintry hand against his bare chest. The motion did not evade Edward's notice. "No!" She turned back to Jasper, strong and resolute. "He comes. You want me, you get him. I know it'll be slower, but that's the way it'll have to be. We'll run by day, and Jacob can sleep at night."

Exchanging a bemused look from Alice, Jasper at last surrendered, "If that's the way it has to be, then so be it."

"Alright then," Bella said, though mostly to Edward. It was driving her crazy that he was avoiding her eye, ignoring her. "I'll follow you."

Edward merely stole a fleeting glance, and then turned away, his face never betraying the anguish in his heart.

"Just one thing," Jasper said, as they converged together. "Wolf, don't forget your lunch." He pointed to the ground where Jacob had cast away the bread and cheese, now covered in the forest's remains.

Jacob growled his response. "Try to keep up, Leech!"

Edward was the first to depart, and Jacob the last to leave. He may not have felt modest around Bella, but in front of three untrustworthy bloodsuckers, he would not have been so careless. Stripping naked, and leaping into wolf's attire, he ran with ferocious might, following Bella's scent south.


	11. Insight

**11. INSIGHT**

They ran throughout the day and into the dusk. Bella was amazed at how she did not tire or lose her breath. She now understood what Edward had meant when he'd described not requiring air. Onward and onward they ran, until Bella thought of Jacob.

She came to a grinding halt, standing still as a statue, and not as though she had just sprinted for ten hours straight. Jacob caught up with her, panting and utterly spent, and collapsed at the base of a two hundred year old red cedar.

He rolled, and as he did, changed back into his human form, not even caring if the bloodsuckers saw him au naturel. Bella tossed him his shorts, and he struggled into them, just as the three arrived, seemingly out of thin air.

"Why are we stopping so early?" Jasper asked, though fully aware of an exhausted Jacob at his feet.

"You'll have to excuse the living," Jacob replied with a snarl, his mighty chest heaving with every breath.

Alice placed her gentle, child-like hand in Jasper's. "It's alright. We can rest here for tonight."

Bella turned to Edward who stood apart from them, his face forever turned away, disengaged. Why did he refuse to even speak to her? Did he hate her? Was he trying to punish her? Or rather, did he _**blame**_ her? It was she who had wanted them to make love that night, she who had persuaded him. Did he no longer love her because she was no longer human?

Ever attentive and aware, Alice chimed up. "Jasper, I think after such a long run, that we should hunt. Let's go!"

Shooting Alice a questioning glance, Jasper quickly accessed the situation, and agreed. Bella's heart did a little leap. Maybe the strangeness between her and Edward could somehow be resolved if...

"I'll come too," Edward said, moving to go with them, but Alice was quicker than he.

"No, Edward. I can't see our future with Bella and Jacob here. What if others were to find us? With Jacob, it would be very dangerous. You stay here and hold down the fort."

Edward looked mutinous, but made no move to follow them into the darkening forest. Bella looked down at Jacob to see him unconscious, a low grumble of a snore escaping him with each intake of breath.

_Well, this is going to be a fun night,_ Bella thought as she strode away from Edward and his forbidding demeanor. Not daring to look back, or even hope that he would follow her, she wandered into a clearing, and turned her gaze upward. The sky was unusually clear, with a light mist of cloud stretched across the raven sky. A few twinkling stars had made their nightly entrance, and she stared at them in new wonder. How many millennia had others of her new kind done likewise, peering up into the heavens, knowing that they were never going to reach its celestial glories in the end?

"Bella?" Edward said, his voice hesitant. "May I speak with you?"

Bella wanted to turn and hug him, hold him in a fracturing embrace, lavish him with kisses, never letting him go. But she couldn't move. The awkwardness between them was tangible, and their relationship had morphed into something skewed and warped, far from the beauty that they had shared but a few weeks before.

Unsure how to reply, Bella thought it best to be honest. "I was under the impression that you _**didn't**_ want to talk to me."

She heard him let out a long exhale of breath, and sensed him calculating his reply. "I thought it best...to give you space."

"Is that why you left?" she said, turning to face him, his eyes crippling under her guileless stare. "To give me space? Then, why did you come back?"

"I see," was all Edward replied, and in a motion that was immeasurably brisk, he vanished.

"No! I just meant..." Bella called, her voice echoing in the void, her voice trailing off. She didn't know how to finish the sentence.

Alice and Jasper returned several hours later in the darkened morning, finding Bella alone, keeping only the stars for company. Jasper watched as Alice's face fell gravely. She, too, turned her face skyward, but instead looked to the trees, finding Edward high above them, his face glued to where Bella sat. Leaping up, Alice silently caught a branch, and climbed up the trunk to where Edward skulked.

Aware of Bella's close proximity, she thought it best to speak to Edward without words. _Did you explain everything?_ Alice thought, trying to catch-up on the hours lost.

"I tried, but she didn't want to talk," Edward whispered. Bella, far below, sat perfectly still, only her eyes straining upward, searching for the god-like figure to match the voice she heard crystal clear.

_That's not the impression I got_,Alice pondered.

"She was mad at me for leaving," he muttered, but his voice rang clear and true to Bella's ears, as though he were sitting at her side.

_You can't blame her for that, Edward. If you could have seen her face when she heard you were gone..."_ Unintentionally, the memory of Bella's rebirth replayed in her mind, and Edward shared every moment. Realizing her error, Alice quickly closed the thought, not wishing to torture her beloved brother. She knew he was already hurting enough. _Sorry!_

There was a brief pause, and then, "I deserve it, and a lot worse. You don't understand, Alice."

Bella sat neath the heavenly sky, her heart breaking for the man high above her, beating himself to death with guilt. How was she to make this right? How could she tell him that she could easily forgive him for leaving, that all could still be alright? That no matter what, she still loved him, heart and soul.

"You're wrong," was Edward's last reply, final and resolute.

Bella wondered what Alice was so wrong about, and just then noticed Jasper. He strode close, sitting down beside her. She shot brief glances at his smooth, perfectly gorgeous face. He turned to her coming uncharacteristically close, cupping his hand over her ear, and speaking in the barest of whispers. "Alice saw what had happened the night you...got bitten. She called to warn Edward, but was too late. We all came home straight away, but you were already far into the change. Do you remember?"

Bella shook her head, no. She had little memory of her change. It seemed like a never-ending journey of pain.

"Edward was...a wreck. I had never seen anyone in that state before, not even when I was human. Understand, he wasn't sure _**who**_ was going to wake. Sometimes when the change occurs, the human gets lost, and never returns. He knew he had killed your body, forsook your soul, but I think he was mourning _**your**_ loss as well. Scared that when you awoke, there wouldn't have been any of _**you**_ left. Most vampires don't know the humans well before they change them. I never have, so even I'm not sure. But for Edward, torture is putting it mildly."

Just then Alice and Edward jumped down from the tree, and Edward stared at them with the same stoic eyes that he had for the past day. He marched off, having no desire to listen anymore to Jasper's explicate thoughts. He knew Bella couldn't possibly forgive him, and quailed at the thought of hearing Bella's repulsive response in Jasper's brain.

Alice smiled faintly. "Time," she said, assuring Bella with the only word she could that would say so much.

Suddenly, a groggy, and yawning Jacob approached them, scratching his back with a long, powerful arm. "What's going on? How long did I sleep? I'm starving!"


	12. Homecoming

**12. HOMECOMING**

Jacob was not given long to eat, and so far from any town, he'd decided it best to eat as a wolf. He managed to hunt a wild hare, and had the good sense to eat it a fair distance away from the others.

Upon returning, there was no happy conversation, no laughter or smiles. Without a word, they were off, sprinting like streaks of light through the unending forest. They moved steadily throughout the day until daylight began to fade, and each knew it was time to stop.

Again, Jacob was worn out, exhausted. His feet were tired and sore, but stubborn as he was, he refused to give the bloodsuckers fuel for their mockery. Too tired to even change back into his human form, he curled up on the soft brown earth, desirous of some much-needed sleep.

Alice turned to Edward, her opinions clear and telling. _Talk to her! She'll understand. _

Edward shook his head, looking as though he were battling himself, and not answering Alice's thoughts.

_Can't you see that she loves you?_ Alice pleaded.

Edward turned to her, humorless and despondent, wishing that she could hear his thoughts as well. Even if Alice was right and some miracle had occurred, it didn't change anything. He would always find a way to screw this up and hurt her.

_You're a fool,_ a voice said, sounding harsh and intrinsic in Edward's mind. However, the voice didn't belong to Alice or Edward, but to Jasper.

Edward whirled around on him, suddenly feeling stung and furious. "Don't presume to know what's best for Bella!" he snarled.

All stood still, Bella especially so. "Don't _**I**_ get a say?" she said softly.

Edward turned to her, and for the first time since their lovemaking, saw the love for him in her, desperate to come out.

"No, Bella," he replied, dashing away, ending the conversation. He was neither seen nor heard from again for the rest of the night. Preferring to wallow in his condemned web of depression and self-hate, he concealed himself in the darkness, closing his mind to the thoughts of others. How envious he was of Jacob, of the power to escape that only sleep could afford. Instead, his mind forever ran in circles of why he was right, and his heart was wrong.

Dawn came much like it always did in the summer months. First golden yellow, and then orange scarlet streaked across the sky. With it came the realization that they were so close to their goal. Forks was but a few hours distance. By noontime, they would be home.

Bella felt its closeness most keenly of all. What would her new life be like with the Cullens? How long would they stay in Forks? Without Edward as her life-mate, what would become of her?

Jacob soon awoke, shook his glistening coat, and again ran off to hunt wild game. His catch was much better this day, as it was a wild pheasant, and much tastier than the rabbit, but he had to deal with the annoyance of feathers.

He returned to their makeshift camp, not remotely desirous of changing. The journey had depleted him, and he was anxious for some rest and cooked food. Loath though he was to return so closely to his pack, he willingly ran toward it, desiring only to be where Bella was.

And how they ran! They bolted steadily, though none of them particularly comfortable with the prospect of arriving at their destination, for each knew that when it was reached, hard decisions would have to be made. Most of all, Alice feared Edward's decision. He would leave. She had seen it, but had been unwilling to share it, lest it place the seed of idea in his mind. And Bella's future? The lack of it drove Alice crazy! They were running into a fog, not knowing who or what to be lurking in the mist.

At long last they strode out of the woods, and looming before them their final destination. The Cullen home!

They stopped, all eyes turning to Edward. He looked pensively at the house a moment, and then said confidently, "They're not here yet. We've made it in time."

Alice breathed a loud sigh. "Oh, thank God!"

Bella turned around to see Jacob withdrawing back to the forest, only to emerge human. "Are they coming?" she asked him, confusing the vampires around her.

"Bella," Jasper said, bewildered, "Edward just said..."

"I wasn't talking about the Volturi," Bella said sharply. _How like a vampire to only think of what concerns them, _she thought, then laughed at herself. She had momentarily forgotten that she was one of them.

Jacob's face was calm, but aloof. "No," he replied, every pair of eyes set questioningly at him. "They're already here."

Just then, a group of massive men stepped from the side of the house, Sam Uley leading the pack. Their faces, for the most part, were patient but expectant. It was clear to Bella that each party, werewolves as well as vampires, would have a lot to discuss this night. But what would be decided? Not just for her, but also for Jacob?

"Will you be okay?" Jacob said to her, placing a burning hand on her icy arm. "I've got to do this. This is something I've avoided long enough."

"I'll be fine," Bella replied, knowing it was the truth. She was in no danger from the Cullens. At worst, she could handle Rosalie on her own, whatever hate she spat at her.

"I won't be far," Jacob assured her before disappearing behind the house and into the woods, followed silently behind by his pack.

Edward led the way into the house, and Bella passed its threshold with the understanding of calling it home. For a moment, her thoughts drifted to Charlie, but she quickly cast him out of her mind. _Neither the time, nor the place_, she thought, trying to hold it together.

But in one thing, Bella was not disappointed. Esme rushed forward, seeking her out first, and pulled her close in a motherly embrace, stroking her long, dark hair. "Oh, Bella!" she declared, her manner all smiles and affection. "You can't know how relieved I am to have you back safe and sound!" They pulled apart, and it struck Bella how _**wanted**_ she truly was. She was welcomed with open arms, not judged for her misdeeds, or chastised for causing so much trouble. She was loved.

By Esme, at least.

"So!" Rosalie asserted, her face cold and hard as though she _**were**_ sculpted out of marble. "Back again? You know Bella, I really can't decide if you're coming or going!"

Emmett let out a soft chuckle, ever amused to see the fur fly. Edward turned to him, his face humorless, obviously sharing some joking thought. Esme, the mother cat, was quick to put her kittens back in line, but Bella knew that sooner or later, she would have to stand up for herself. "Well, neither can I, Rosalie, but I'll be sure to give you warning the next time I decide to leave. Fair enough?"

Emmett choked on his laugh while Rosalie shot daggers at Bella before stalking off, her warm welcome over. "All of us in one house?" Emmett said, a mischievous grin on his face, "Oh, this is going to be a hoot!" He leisurely strode after his love, knowing his duty now was to soothe and support.

None knew how to reply. They all stood in the doorway, waiting uncomfortably. Edward read each of their thoughts, except for Bella's of course, and none were sure how to shift the conversation. Strangely, it was Bella who broke the silence. "Sorry," she said. "I don't want to cause trouble."

"No!" Esme replied reassuringly. "You must give Rose time. It isn't you she's mad at. I'm sure when she gets to know you..."

"Right," Bella replied, but more sharply than she had intended. It was just that she had heard this all before, and little changed. Rosalie was against her from the get-go. Now, the feeling just seemed to be growing more mutual.

An awkward silence again filled the air. Esme's face suddenly lit up, "Carlisle will be so sorry to have missed your homecoming. He's at the hospital, but should be back soon. He'll be so relieved."

Bella was sure that Esme had only meant to comfort, but somehow, her words had the opposite effect. Carlisle had been worried. Indeed, they _**all**_ had. How much trouble had she caused, and what would be the lasting effects? She thought again of Rosalie's less than friendly greeting. Was there more behind it? She turned to Edward, studying his face. What did they know that she didn't? His eyes met hers and they seemed soft, but apologetic. He was _**sorry**_. And then, as clearly as though she were reading his thoughts, she understood. He would be leaving..._**again**_.

"Bella," Alice said, snapping her out of her rumination. "Let me show you to your room. I'm sure you'd like to settle in and shower before the meeting."

"Room?" Bella replied questioningly, her mind suddenly a whirl of thought. "Meeting?"

"Oops! Yeah, sorry. Just saw it," she replied, her mind forever looking to the future.

But that's not what concerned Bella at this moment. Alice's words struck a chord with a note of finality that upset her to her very core. _**Your room**_, she had said. _**Not**_ Edward and your room, but her room _**alone**_. Everyone already knew it was over between them. Everyone but her.

And she was supposed to _**live**_ with them?!

Her face contorted in agony, and she wished to disappear. Death would have been preferable to this existence. Her own personal hell, eternally bound to a family that she was responsible for tearing apart. _Oh joy._

"I'll show her," Edward said, grasping her hand, and leading her up the stairs before she had a moment to think. She was grateful for the inability to cry. That would have been mortifying. As it was, she was sure they all thought she was the most ridiculous vampire they had ever seen.


	13. Declaration

**13. DECLARATION**

Edward's hand, firmly clasped in Bella's, pulled her into his room, and shut the door. Unwillingly, he let her grasp go. "I saw your face down there. It looked as though Alice had stabbed you in the heart."

Bella was unsure as to how to reply, and gazed instead about the room, noticing all the changes that had occurred in her absence. The bed was made, the couch back in its usual position, and the wall of shattered glass replaced. It was as though none of it had ever happened. Except that it _**had**_, and she was now so horribly different that Edward could barely stand to talk to her.

Out of the corner of her eye, she caught sight of Edward angrily running his fingers through his hair, as though he were going to pull it out. "Bella, this is killing me! What are you thinking? Please _**talk**_!"

Where to start? How to begin? What to say? "I was wondering..."

Edward hung onto her words until he could bear the wait no longer. Her agonizing over every syllable was a test to his sanity. "You were wondering..."

"...why you don't love me anymore." At first she could not meet his expectant gaze, but slowly, courage growing, she looked up to see an expression that she had not anticipated. One of pure disbelief.

"You think I don't love you?" he asked incredulously, as though he had heard incorrectly.

Her bravery strengthened. Or, perhaps it was relief. The words and fears were at last being spoken. She didn't need to hold onto them any longer. "I _**know**_ you don't love me," she corrected, matter-of-factly. "I was just wondering _**why**_."

Shaking his head, Edward replied, "There is no one I have ever loved more in my entire existence. I have only ever loved one person. You."

Bella sighed deeply. These were the words she had longed to hear, been desperate for since the moment they had separated. But even as she heard them, there was doubt. "Then..._**how**_?"

"How...what?"

It was too much. "How could you _**leave**_ me like that?!" Her voice came sharp now, loud and irrefutable. She was sure all in the house could hear, but she didn't care. "Didn't you have any perception? Any _**idea**_ what that would do to me, finding you gone? Discarding me like that?! No thought, no consideration..."

"It wasn't like that," Edward said, his voice rising also, but laden with guilt.

"No, do you _**want**_ to know what it was like? You were gone, and I _**quit**_, Edward! I checked out! The human part of me went into a coma for a week. All I could think of, all I wanted was you! **And where were you?!** I didn't know if you were in Italy, South America, or with Tanya! All I knew was that I needed you, and when you weren't there, I couldn't handle it." Bella struggled for breath. Sighing, she went on, but now calmer. "It was like I...took a mental vacation. I was on cruise control. It wasn't until later, just a few days ago, that I woke up. You can't know what I suffered when I realized what I had done. That I had killed people, yet wasn't really aware of it. It was like..."

"The vampire took control," Edward said, finishing her thought for her, but with a crack in his throat.

"Yeah," she breathed, penitent and guilty.

"And _**still**_ you don't see?" he said through his teeth, furious, but not at her. Never at her.

Utterly bewildered, Bella replied, "See what?!"

"Don't you see that I couldn't have destroyed you more if I had tried! All my vain attempts, and self-gratifying reasoning boiled down to nothing but selfish want! That time and time again I was warned, and _**still**_ I hunted you. Delirious to logic, making light of your frailty, of your life and soul! Putting you in danger again and again, and for _**WHAT**_?! For one reason, Bella. Because _**I**_ wanted you. _**I**_ had to have you. No regard for what _**you**_ should have. Oh, I pretended to believe I did. I went through the motions, wishing you would leave me, give me up, but I _**never**_ would have let you go. I systematically and pathologically destroyed you, and in doing so, have become the very monster I have tried to avoid all these years." He sighed, allowing himself to breath slowly again, feeling suddenly utterly spent. But he couldn't stop now. She stood there, her heart breaking. He shouldn't dawdle. It should be quick, like a knife. That was the kindest way.

Bella swallowed hard, trying to choke back the sick feeling in her throat. Secretly, she wondered if vampires ever vomited. She certainly felt as though she might...

"So, that's it, then? You don't want me anymore?"

Edward closed his eyes, and clenched his jaw. It seemed as though his own body fought against the voice in his head. "It's better this way."

A rage boiled in Bella; the same primal rage that screamed in agony at her rebirth. "You know what?! Jacob was right! Of all the self-righteous bullshit you love to spoon out, I wonder why you just can't tell me the truth!"

Edward stared at her, astounded. Firstly, he had never seen Bella so angry before. Secondly, there was a dangerous glint in her eye. He recognized it, as he had seen it so often in his own. The demon in her had awoken. "And what truth is that?"

"That you don't love me, Edward, and you never did. How could you _**possibly**_ love me and treat me this way? Carlisle would _**never**_ leave Esme the way you're planning on leaving me! So, go ahead. Leave. It's what you do best. I just can't believe..." her voice faltered the moment he turned and she could see his face. Her words had hit their mark. Hard.

She stood there, desperate for him to move. But, no. He was as stubborn as he was irresistibly drawn to her. _So, it's over then,_ she thought, understanding the true meaning of desiring death. She turned away, having no clue of where to go or whom to turn to. She opened the door, and Carlisle stood waiting patiently at its threshold.

"Bella," he said smiling, embracing her. She was thankful for that. She had really needed a hug.

Alice stepped out of her room, her face solemn as though attending a funeral. _The funeral of our relationship,_ Bella mused, though not finding it remotely funny.

"Come with me, Bella," Alice said, wrapping her loving arm around her. She shot a quick look at Edward, and could not control her own thoughts. _Unbelievable, Edward! She's forgiven you. What more do you want? _

Carlisle stepped into the room, and closed the door. He analyzed his son carefully. _For as long as I have known you, son, you have been different._

"Thanks," Edward replied, sarcastically.

_I have no wish to preach to you what you should do with your existence. I have always thought that you have known your own path. But in this, I feel you are utterly and completely lost._ Carlisle furrowed his brow, but not in anger. He felt nothing but pity.

"Can't argue with you there," Edward replied, taking a deep breath.

_You have fought with yourself long enough. Isn't it time that you won?_

Edward blinked. The words resounded in his skull. "What do you mean?"

_Why is it that we can see this and you can't, you who sees so much? She wants to be with you, Edward. She always did. You have fought nobly and bravely on her behalf, but she never asked it of you._

"Wait, what are you saying?" Edward said, unnerved by the words. They were beginning to make too much sense. But, it wasn't right. He knew what he must do...

"I'm saying," Carlisle said, aloud and clear so that there would be no missing it, "Bella always knew what she wanted. She always knew the price she had to pay. You battled against it, and didn't intend for it to happen, but it did." He sighed. _Where are the right words?_ he wondered, Edward sharing every thought. _There comes a time when we all must accept reality. We cannot change the past. We cannot always make up for past wrongs. In Bella's eyes, you do not wrong her by loving her, by choosing a life with her. But to reject her like this, when your heart obviously feels otherwise, that is wrong._

What to do, what to think? Carlisle's messages echoed in his brain, becoming jumbled and confused. At what point should he throw away his principles, and go to hell in a basket?"But how? How do I forgive myself, Carlisle? How do I relinquish all my scruples and give myself permission to have her?"

Carlisle smiled, sympathizing as best he could. _It's not you who gives permission to have someone, son. It is she who has given it to you. It's about time you realized that. You are lucky to have her. She is not unlucky to have you._

Edward stood still for several minutes, pondering his father's sapient words. Neither moved an inch.

It's true that this struggle had been undeniably long, and Edward fought it alone, on and on, against everyone, including Bella. Was it possible then, that it was _**he**_ and not everyone else who was wrong? It may sound incredibly egotistical to believe that he was always right, and perhaps he was a bit. He was man enough to admit that. But it had been his _**intentions**_ that had separated him from everyone else. His true intention had been to keep Bella alive, in the human sense of the word. He failed utterly, and it was entirely his fault.

But, was Carlisle right, regardless? He thought of Alice, of the countless times that she had begged him to speak to Bella, back in the early days when he fought even to be too close to her. Alice had said, even then, overflowing with confidence, that things would be okay.

Had he simply lost the battle, but won the war? Bella still loved him. And what's more, he loved her. Desperately.

Inwardly, he chastised himself. Was he always to be the martyr for love? So willing to give it up to an eternity of loneliness and despair, for the simple reason of being right? Bella was a vampire now. Nothing he could do would ever change that. Was it right to continue punishing her for ever meeting him? Did she not deserve better? _I deserve better, too._

He turned to Carlisle, who had spent the passing minutes, eyes glued to each expression passing over Edward's face. Seeing the newest expression, he smiled, and for the first time in a long while felt relief. _Go tell her. _

Edward nodded, and strode from the room, determinedly moving toward Bella. He would not make the same mistake again.


	14. Mixed Messages

**14. MIXED MESSAGES**

Edward bounded down the steps to the living room, desperate for that one more chance. There was still hope. He could still make this right.

A barrage of thoughts hit him like bullets, and he quickly sorted them by owner. Each one stung in its own way. Some maliciously, others due to guilt.

_My poor boy! Is he forever to be alone?_ That was Esme. No doubt.

_An idiot could see that they belong together. Who else would put up with his shit? Huh. Maybe they're both idiots... _Without question, Emmett's voice.

_I don't know how she can stand being so close to the mutt. My God, the smell..._ Rosalie. Her malevolent yet jealous tone was one Edward would recognize anywhere. Jacob had never given her the time of day.

_I should have killed her when I had the chance._ Jasper's thought made Edward wrathful, but knew that wasn't the issue at this moment. He would address that later.

_I hope Jasper never leaves me this way..._ Alice's soft voice wounded him. He at once saw his actions through her eyes. Had he really become such a sadistic monster?

_He screwed it up like I knew he would. If he thinks I'm going to make the same mistake, he's got another thing coming._ Jacob's voice. Shit. He had returned.

He landed on the bottom step, all eyes turning toward him. At once he pushed their thoughts from his mind, focused and determined. "Bella, I need to speak to you."

"She's got nothing to say to you," Jacob spat, standing over her like a massive gargoyle.

Ignoring him, Edward continued, "Bella, _**please**_."

But no, her decision was already made. Edward would leave, and she would sneak out soon after. Like a thief in the night perhaps, but a thief with no ties. She could be good. She would hunt as her morals dictated to her, suppress the demon, but to live there was impossible. Not only was the house drenched in his scent, but was she to walk past his room every day? The room that began her eternal torture, a monument frozen in time, making her forever grieve her loss?

Eventually he would return, a supermodel vampire wrapped around his arm. Would she be forced to sit and bear it? They could never be friends beyond their love for each other. They would be lovers, or nothing. But, how the prospect of _**nothing**_ hurt...

She would go and be alone. No, no Jacob. It was wrong. Selfish. She loved him, but not as much as Edward, and somehow, that made all the difference. It was Edward or no one. And no one could stop her. Alice would not see her choices. She would be more careful next time. Take care that they would never find her.

All waited, glancing back and forth between Edward and Bella, waiting for reaction. But nothing came. Bella was silent and still, as though dead. She certainly felt dead on the inside. Upstairs she had wished for death, and it had come, but like the detestable body that she was now condemned to, there was no end. Everyone wondered if she was simply checking out early, that her brain had finally had enough, and she was losing it.

_Well, that's it, then, _Emmett thought, heartlessly. _The kid's finally driven her insane._

But Edward was the wiser. Repressing pain, suffering in silence...no, she would not show so much weakness with a crowd. _She's probably using all her strength to hold herself together,_ he thought remorsefully.

Carlisle slowly stepped down the stairs, surveying the room. "Time for the family meeting," he said. _More information is better than none, Edward. Trust me._

All moved to the dining room, except a baffled Jacob and Bella. Carlisle smiled gently, explaining, "We use the dining room as a meeting place, clearing the air and letting everyone know of any plans. Plus, it's a shame not to use such a beautiful set."

Bella could not help but smile at the irony, and took a place beside Alice. There were only eight chairs, so Emmett stood behind Rosalie, massaging her tense shoulders. Carlisle sat down at the head of the table, took a deep breath and said, "So, who'd like to begin?"

"I will," Rosalie said, her eyes as dark as her demeanor. "I want to know how many people are included in this family now."

"Bella is a member of this family," Carlisle said firmly.

"I wasn't referring to _**her**_," Rose shot back with a sneer. "I meant, how many more strays are we to pick up? Are we now including _**dogs**_ in our family?"

"I'm here until Bella tells me to leave," Jacob shot back, as coldly as he had received it. "You don't like it, you can..."

Emmett growled dangerously.

"Enough!" Carlisle commanded. He allowed his face to soften before turning back toward Rosalie, and looked at her again with the eyes of a kind father. "We all make compromises for the good of our family. I am not asking any more of you than what _**we**_ have done for you, and would gladly do again, to see you happy."

Suddenly ashamed, Rosalie nodded, and retreated back behind her stoic expression. Emmett leaned down, placing a reassuring kiss on her neck.

After a minute's silence, Carlisle said, "Does anyone have anything else to discuss?"

"I don't want you to leave," Alice said immediately.

At first Bella thought she was speaking to her, but Alice turned away toward Edward, who was sitting on Carlisle's left.

"Leave? Again? But, you only just got back!" Esme whispered, disappointed.

Edward was utterly confused. "I'm not leaving."

"I've seen you," Alice said assuredly.

Bella looked at him. She knew he was going to leave; he had implied as much. Why was he lying now? _Cruel..._

"No, I'm not!" he insisted, trying to catch Bella's disbelieving eyes. "I'll admit I thought of it, but I've changed my mind. I'm not going anywhere. I realize now that I belong right here, with you."

Alice, totally frustrated and bewildered, shook her head, replaying the image in her mind. It still pointed toward the future. Deciding it best to show him, rather than argue with him, she concentrated clearly, and he saw every detail.

He was running, boarding a plane. He was also alone.

"See?" Alice said, trying to understand as best she could, desperate for him to somehow change his mind.

He shook his head, baffled and betrayed. "I'm not! I'm not going anywhere!" He could see Bella's down turned heart-shaped face, bleak and spiritless. He was killing her. It had to stop now. "I'm not leaving you, Bella! I swear it!"

"What, like last time?" Jacob spat, not allowing Edward any leeway. He would fight to the death for Bella. In fact, it was probably best that way. Then there could be no turning back, no changing of anyone's minds. "Or, are you talking about the time before that? I'm confused. You have a history of leaving. It's no wonder she doesn't believe you."

"Bella, listen to me!" Edward said, rising out of his chair, eager for her to trust him. "I swear I'm not going to...Oh!"

All eyes turned to him, perplexed, even Bella's. She had been desperate to hear more, even though she didn't believe a word of it.

"Alice..." Edward said, suddenly fearful.

"I'm sorry. I've been so distracted today, I didn't see it."

"Didn't see what?" Jasper asked, his eyes narrowing like a hawk, preparing for war.

Just then, the doorbell rang.

"Alice," Carlisle said warily, "who is at the door?"

"It's them. The Volturi. They're here."


	15. Crime and Punishment

**15. CRIME AND PUNISHMENT**

All rose from the table, immediately on high alert. Carlisle turned to Jacob, "You should go."

"No way," was Jacob's steady reply. There was resolution behind it. He would not leave quietly.

The doorbell sounded again.

"I don't think they'll attack, but it's not safe for you. I'm not certain they've ever seen a werewolf before."

"I'll take my chances," Jacob replied, and Carlisle was forced to accept it. They migrated into the massive living room, and unwittingly, Bella found herself wedged between Jacob and Edward.

As though perfectly at ease, Carlisle opened the door. "Aro! I must say this is an unexpected surprise! Would you please come in?"

Glancing past his guest, Carlisle saw two black stretched limousines, with ten guards in long grey robes. Flanked on either side of Aro were Jane and Felix. The three newcomers entered the room, Aro as though he were completely oblivious to any sense of anxiety that they engendered.

"Good gracious, Carlisle, dear friend! Are these all yours? You certainly have been busy, raising this little family," Aro said, his crimson eyes sweeping across the lineage.

As smoothly as though he felt no distress at all, Carlisle replied, "Aro, my I present to you my family? You know Edward, of course, and Bella, Jacob, Alice, Jasper, Emmett, Rosalie, and my wife, Esme."

"Delighted!" Aro replied, smiling, looking as though he certainly meant it. "Yes, there are a few faces I recognize." He glided to the end of the line, stopping at Edward. "And how do you fare, young Edward?"

"Very well, thank you, Aro," Edward replied, his face carefully masked.

"Indeed?" Aro replied, his keen eyes not missing an eyelash flicker. "If you please," he said politely, holding forward his open palm.

This was the last thing Edward wanted, to be so exposed, but knowing he had no choice, he placed his index finger outward, touching Aro's waxen skin.

Their touch separated, and Aro's eyes could not help but open in surprise. "So, all is not as it _**should be**_ in paradise. Tisk tisk, Edward! This is not the way to spend such a gift as I gave to you."

"And you, my dear!" he continued, moving onward to Bella, his eyes relishing her transformed physique. "It is as Alice predicted! Marvelous! But," he said, holding up a scolding finger as though she were a small child, "you have been naughty!"

Bella's face fell in surprise. So, he had heard. _No second chances_; Jane's words came back to haunt her. Was this the end? Was she doomed to die, right here, right now? Edward no longer wanted her, and not an hour before, she had welcomed death. But now as it stood in front of her, she wished she could be anywhere else but there.

"Yes," Aro said, smiling. "Do not suppose I haven't heard of your exploits! One must feed, of course my dear, but one must take precaution. My goodness, to eat the son of a congressman! It will never do, my dear Bella!"

Bella could not control her own mouth. It hung open in shock. She turned to Edward, who did little but hang his head in shame. "I'm sorry! I had no idea!" she stumbled, knowing that anything she said would not make a bit of difference. Jane sneered with sadistic glee.

"Yes," Aro said, suddenly looking less amused. "But we shall discuss more of that later. For now, satisfy my curiosity, if you please." He again held out his hand, and anxious to do anything that may prolong her life, she willingly touched his hand.

He waited, and again a smile crept over his face. He could neither see, nor hear a thought in her head. "Wonderful. Absolutely wonderful, my dear. Yes, you are a wonder..."

He continued to float toward the right, and his eyes then met Jacob's aggressive stare. "Most curious! Jacob, is it not? Yes, you are another wonder!" He turned wistfully, "I must say, Carlisle, you have about as fine a knack for picking out curiosities as myself. I see we are both collectors." Turning back to Jacob, he continued, "Human, but...not. Werewolf, is it? I have encountered few of your kind in my time, but they are as beasts of the field. Uncouth, and savage. You appear to me quite...different." He held out an expectant hand, which Jacob glanced at, and snarled, "I don't think so."

Jane's haughty eyes quickly darkened, and Felix took a step forward. In what would've been a heartbeat, Emmett flashed his teeth, and the room became dangerously volatile.

Aro, however, merely laughed, saying, "Children, children!"

Bella, suddenly desperate, turned to Jacob, nudging him hard with her elbow. "Jacob! Just do it!" she hissed.

Their eyes met, and despite the look of loathing, Jacob held out his middle finger. Aro gazed at their interaction with furthered amazement. Turning back to Edward, he said, "Yes, I see what you mean. Well, you know what you must do."

"That's not an option," Edward replied steadily.

"Yes, well, I am sure you know best." Aro turned back to Jacob who still held out his finger. They touched for only a few moments, and Aro, stood blinking up at the menacing Jacob. "I see I was right about you. Well, this _**is**_ interesting, is it not?" He turned to Bella, now fully understanding the Bermuda Triangle that was their relationship.

Aro flitted farther down the line, stopping now at Alice who looked small and delicate in front of the magnificence that was Aro. "And so nice to see you again, my dear. I can but assume that this was no surprise to you, your talents being unique as they are. Tell me. Am I correct in my assumption?"

"Yes," Alice replied, more humbly than usual, as to the lateness of her vision. Inwardly, she was still chastising herself for not taking better care.

"Marvelous! Such a gift! I am put quite to shame. I am curious as to other things you have seen, my dear. I have now seen one come to fruition. Enlighten me, if you please."

Alice, as bold and confident as she had been in Volterra, volunteered her hand, touching Aro's ashen one. His eyes widened, but at this he seemed more confused than impressed. Alice at once knew the reason. She was just as confused, and more than frustrated.

"Nothing? Nothing at all of Bella's future?" he asked, dumbfounded at this astonishing bit of news.

"Nothing," Alice replied, irritated with her abilities limitations. "Not since her rebirth."

"That _**is**_ dissatisfying, but also exciting at the same time. Bella, you continue to intrigue me. What other secrets are you hiding, I wonder?"

Bella looked nonplused. Her only secret had been her plans for escape, and that was looking significantly bleaker with each passing second.

"Hmm...and nothing of Jacob, either?" Aro continued thoughtfully.

Alice detested having to constantly reaffirm her inabilities, and simply replied, "No. Unfortunately not."

"Hmm, yes. Disappointing. Yet, intriguing..." Aro said, moving onward down the line. "Jasper, is that correct? You appear as though you have many stories to tell." Aro's shrewd eyes had captured every hairline scar that Jasper had on his face and hands. They touched, and after a few moments, Aro began to laugh, much to the astonishment of the present company.

Jasper scowled. He did not enjoy feeling the butt of any joke, and saw nothing in his past that appeared remotely humorous.

"Forgive me," Aro replied, still chuckling. "You and I share an acquaintance of sorts. It _**is**_ a small world! Yes, I too know Maria."

This was not at all what Jasper had expected. Dumbfounded he repeated, "You know Maria?"

"Oh, yes. She is...most talented, in her special way. You remember Maria, do you not, dear Jane?"

"Yes, Master," Jane replied bowing, though looking as if she would very much like to forget Maria.

"Yes," Aro continued, now to Jasper. "Such tenacity and spirit. A little too much, spirit, perhaps. She did not stay long in Volterra. But, I digress!"

Onward he glided, and now stared up at the mountain that was Emmett. "Interesting. And you are...?"

"Emmett," he replied, automatically holding out his finger.

"Most kind!" Aro replied, and touched the extended appendage. "Ah!" he said after a brief pause. "Bears, is it? Yes, you appear to me the sort that prefers his meal to put up a fight, as it were. You have that in common with Felix."

All eyes at once surveyed the looming Felix, and Edward could not help listening to the brute's thoughts. They consisted of his most recent hunt involving a terrified gypsy girl on the outskirts of Rome. Felix seemed to sense Edward's understanding, and he smiled at him fiendishly.

"And you, my dear?" Aro said, having now moved ahead.

"Rosalie Hale."

"And if you would be so kind," he said, extending his hand. Haughtily, Rosalie touched his skin, looking as though she were daring him to find anything negative to say against her.

She was disappointed.

"My dear," Aro replied after their exchange, "you are utterly absurd. You cannot have _**both**_ of your heart's desires. It was one, and now you have the other. You would have had a mortal life, yes, but your prize would have faded. Now, look at you! Your treasure shines more brightly than before, but still you are not happy." He turned to Carlisle. "I'm not sure I altogether agree with you for making this one, dear friend. Her heart is not in it. I fear it never will."

"Nonetheless, she belongs to this family," Carlisle replied, ignoring Rosalie's wrathful expression.

"Yes, well, I leave it to your discretion," Aro replied. Emmett let out a grumbling growl, which caused Jane and Felix to take a threatening step forward. Aro was quick to shoot out his hand, and said, "No offense intended, young one, no offence! No, I see I have underestimated your strength entirely. Not to mention your patience. But, as I've said, to each his own." Again, he moved onward, now reaching the end of the line. "And Esme! I have seen much of you through your children, and it does you credit."

"Thank you, Aro," she replied, willingly offering her upturned hand. "I am a mother at heart."

"Undeniably, my dear. You have much to offer." He touched her with his frigid fingers, and smiled. "Yes, a superb mother, to be sure! By and large, Carlisle, you have done exceedingly well for yourself! I have always thought your choices strange, and at one time, impossible, but I must admit, I am happily proved wrong. Your children are each more powerful because of it, and display a tenacity and regard that I had not thought viable. In short, they do you great credit, and I commend you."

"Thank you, my old friend," Carlisle replied, his cup overfloweth with pride.

"Yes," Aro continued, his manner now becoming grim, "that is why it saddens me to break it up, so."

"Break it up?" Carlisle repeated, his manner now as serious as Aro's. _Do not move or react, Edward. You must stay calm._

Edward gave the slightest of nods, and clenched his hands into tight, white fists.

"I have little choice, I fear," Aro replied regretfully.

Bella's breathing quickened. It was as she had suspected. She glanced over to Edward, and he returned her harrowing stare. Though not being able to exchange thoughts, to Bella, his meaning was clear. He would not stand by and watch her killed without a fight.

But what of later? If they got their way, and she miraculously was let go or saved, what then? Life would return to what it had been, and Edward would abandon her. She would be alone.. ._**forever**_.

"Crimes have been committed," Aro continued, "and they cannot be overlooked."

Jane grinned evilly, watching her master begin his work.

"But Aro, surely..." Carlisle began, however Aro cut him short, holding up his ghostly hand.

"Bella, my dear," Aro began most politely. "It is true that you have been very incorrigible. Now, it is not altogether your fault, as your creator neglected you after your birth. However, you were careless in your kills, and that is something that I cannot condone. As it is, you have me quite at a loss. What to do with you?"

He paused, as though waiting for a reply, but Bella was certain that his question had been completely rhetorical, and so, said nothing. Unthinking, she grasped for Edward's hand, which he gratefully held onto with desperate affection.

"Due to the unusual circumstances," he continued, "and your gifts being what they are, I am prepared to offer you a choice."

Jane's face appeared crestfallen. It was obvious that her heart had been set on blood.

"You can choose death, which is the usual punishment for flouting rules..."

Edward's hand tightened.

"Or," Aro said continuing, "you are welcome to come back with me to Volterra."

Replacing death with eternal imprisonment seemed hardly better. "Am I to be a prisoner there?" Bella asked meekly.

"Not at all!" Aro said, laughing. "You would join our family."

This Bella had _**not**_ expected. It offered her a new life, a fresh start. The prospect of a new family. She would be protected and respected, her feelings honored. It definitely looked more appealing than death, or being alone in the wilderness, friendless and shut off from the world.

"No, Bella!" Jacob hissed. She turned to look at him. Even if she thought that she could escape, he would follow her. It was better this way.

"Alright, Aro. I'll go with you," she replied, much to his delight. It was not shared by any other in the room.

"Wonderful!" he exclaimed. "But we cannot celebrate too prematurely. There is still the unfortunate business of your maker to deal with."

Bella's face fell. She had not thought Edward would be punished as well! She turned to look at him, but his expression was filled with longing.

"Now, dear Edward," Aro said, his voice stern, "to forsake a newborn during their change is one of our most serious crimes. It shows a total lack of responsibility."

"I agree," Edward said, his hand still firmly clasped in Bella's. "It was unforgivable, and I am prepared to die for it."

"No!" Bella pleaded.

Resolved to his doom, Edward turned gently to her. "Bella, I know I screwed up. It would comfort me knowing that you're safe, and well cared for."

"Edward, no!" was all Bella could say, hopeless against changing his fate.

Edward merely smiled, as calm as though he were at complete peace with his death. "To save your life, I'd gladly die, Bella."

Harrowing moments passed in which the star-crossed lovers merely stared at each other, neither willing to move, lest be prematurely torn apart.

"So touching!" Aro exclaimed, his eyes filled with the bitter sweetness of love that had eluded him for a great many years. "Now, I hate to disturb a perfectly romantic love scene, which I must admit has been quite stirring, but I fear I must clarify. I had not intended _**execution**_ to be the method of punishment."

Bella let out a breath that she had been unconsciously holding onto. Edward too, let out a sigh of relief, allowing others to see that his bravery had been naught but a mask for their benefit. "_**Not**_ execution?" he repeated for clarification.

"I rather think not," Aro said, a wry smile across his sallow face. "With talents such as yours, it would be an immense pity to squander them. Above all, I detest waste. No, no. I have much better use for you elsewhere."

"In Volterra?" Edward asked hopefully. If it meant that he could be with Bella, he'd go anywhere and suffer anything. "I agree. I'll go."

"Sadly...no." Aro replied with a wave of his brittle-looking hand. "At least not at the moment. I cannot have you keep Bella solely to yourself."

"Then, what is my price?" Edward replied, growing more anxious with each passing second. If not death, it must be something truly terrible.

"You must do something for me. An errand, if you will. I think it need not necessarily be unpleasant. But this task you _**must**_ perform to release your bond. Do you accept?" Aro stared confidently at Edward knowing, or perhaps foreseeing, that Edward would most certainly accept his conditions. He had no choice, and that's exactly how Aro wanted it.

"I accept," Edward replied, his hand still steadfastly holding onto Bella's. He didn't want to let her go to where he could not follow. Their eyes held firmly onto each other, reluctant to be torn apart.

"You shall be contacted at the time you are needed. Until then, farewell. Time to go, my dear," Aro said, turning toward the door. Slowly, as though she were tearing her own heart out, she pulled her hand away. It certainly felt as though her heart were now gone.


	16. Futility

**16. FUTILITY**

Edward and Jacob stood side by side at the open front door, both speechlessly watching Bella being swept away from them. It wasn't until the taillights could no longer be seen that Jacob turned, shoving him so hard that Edward nearly fell over. "What the hell, Edward!" Jacob yelled, irate as he took a step forward, ready to strike another blow. "How could you just let them take her like that?!"

"I didn't see _**you**_ make any effort to stop them," Jasper replied quickly.

"Alone against thirteen? I'm sure you'd have loved that, wouldn't you, Leech?" Jacob replied, as Jasper bared his perfect glistening teeth.

"Jacob, Jasper, enough!" Carlisle snapped, his beautiful face fraught with concern. "I assure you, Jacob, that Bella is actually in the safest of care. Probably far better than we could have provided, given Bella's knack for trouble."

"You make it sound as though she were heading to a mental institution," Jacob spat, not believing a word of it.

"Granted," Carlisle said, amused at his own ridiculousness. "However, I assure you she _**is**_ safe. They won't hurt her in Volterra. She's far too valuable a prize for Aro to allow anything to happen to her. Am I right, Edward?"

"It's not Aro that we have to worry about," Edward said darkly. "Jane is insanely jealous, and the big one, Felix...you don't even want to know what _**he**_ was thinking about Bella. I nearly lost control just listening to him."

"Ooh, I'm _**so**_ impressed by your self-control!" Jacob replied sarcastically while rolling his eyes.

Alice cast a telling glance Edward's way. _I lied to Aro._

"What? How?" Edward replied, his attention suddenly pulled from the irate Jacob to his anxious sister.

"How?" Jacob replied, as confused as everyone else who didn't have telepathy. "How what?!"

_I just didn't let him see everything there was to see,_ Alice replied, so cryptically, that Edward didn't have a clue as to her meaning.

"What are you talking about?" he said, shaking his head.

"Yes, _**please**_, Alice!" Emmett said, ever annoyed to be on the outs of conversations. "What is going on?"

"Well," Alice said, though wishing that Jacob wasn't there, "you know how I can't see Bella's future. Well, I noticed something today that I hadn't noticed before. I _**can**_ see her, but not directly."

"You lost me. How can you see someone's future but not at the same time?" Emmett said, struggling to catch on.

"I didn't notice it before because Bella was with Jacob. You, whom I can't see at all. But, today, I could see Bella in Volterra with Aro."

"In Volterra? Are you sure it was not a memory?" Edward said, but his expression changed upon reliving the thoughts in her head.

"She's a vampire now, Edward. I know the difference. Look, I can't see her future when I think of her, okay? But, I wasn't looking to _**Bella's**_ future. I was looking to _**Aro's**_. And she was there."

"Oh, that _**is**_ a relief!" Esme said, wrapping her arm around Carlisle's waist. "At least we'll know that she'll be alright."

"Wait, hold on!" Jacob said, thoroughly bothered that everyone else seemed to be understanding what he did not. "This is good news _**why**_?"

"It means we can keep tabs on her," Carlisle explained gently. "She will not be lost to us. If Alice can see the future of those present here today, Aro, Jane and Felix, we may be able to catch glimpses of Bella and know how she's doing. It is better than I have hoped, Alice. You have done well."

Alice smiled, and Jasper beamed proudly down at her.

Jacob shrugged his shoulder, barely impressed. "Well, I guess that's something, for now at least. Where is this Volterra, anyway?" he asked, his mind clearly calculating. "Mexico?"

"Italy," Edward replied, turning to Carlisle.

"What?! Italy?!" Jacob replied incredulously. "Shit, that's going to take some planning..."

"I know what you're thinking," Edward retorted, "but don't even bother. For one, Volterra is a medieval walled city. An ancient fortress with hundreds of vampire soldiers available on command. You think you can just waltz in and rescue her?"

"You got a better plan?" Jacob was not one to give up so easily.

"Yes," Edward said, "and it doesn't involve you. Look, I'm the one that got her into this mess. It makes sense that I be the one to get her out."

"Oh, so what?" Jacob replied, as though he had smelt something disgusting. "You save her, get to ride off with her into the sunset, only to drop her like before? You really are an dickhead, you know that?! Besides, I don't see how you going in there instead of me would be any better."

If Jacob believed he could pique Edward into a fight, he was disappointed. However, Carlisle quickly interrupted before he could try again. "Although I disagree with Jacob's paraphrasing, he does have a point."

"You got that right," Rosalie said, speaking up for the first time since being insulted by Aro in front of everyone. "You certainly are an dickhead."

"Rose, not helpful." Carlisle snapped. "No, I was referring to the comment about you entering Volterra. I'm not sure you'd be as welcome as before."

"I disagree," Edward said, despite looking as though he were feeling a great deal of apprehension.

"Carlisle's right, Edward," Jasper said, the tactical expert in him showing his face. "You heard what Aro said, about you hogging Bella. He wants some time alone with her without you. I doubt very much that you could sneak into the city undetected, much less whisk her away before anyone noticed. And even if you did, James would look like a boy scout compared to the bloodhound tracker vampires that I'm sure they have. Have you forgotten Demetri? You'd be hunted down and killed, and Bella along with you. It's ludicrous."

Jacob surveyed the grave faces around the room, and snorted. "Bunch of chickens! Fine then. I'll do it on my own. You keep an eye out for Bella, Alice. When you see her suddenly drop off the face of the earth, it's 'cause she's with me. So long, Edward. I guess we'll see who finishes last this time." He strode toward the door, but Carlisle gently approached him.

"Jacob, reconsider!" Carlisle begged. "I can't stress to you strongly enough what kind of vampires these are. They are not newborns; they are centuries old, masterful killers. They do not forgive, or give second chances. If they catch you, they will most definitely kill you."

"Carlisle," Jacob said, looking a trifle bored, "They've got my Bells, and you're telling me to do nothing? Seriously?"

"I'm asking you to wait and see. Give us some time to formulate a plan. Alice will be able to give us more information in a few days."

"Not interested," Jacob said, now anxious to be free of the stench of vampires. "I'll tell Bells you said hi." He marched out of the house, disappearing into the bushes.


	17. Adoption

**17. ADOPTION**

It was the first time Bella had ever ridden in a limo, the childhood romantic fantasy now destroyed. Aro on her left, an intimidating guard to her right, Jane and Felix across from her, she felt trapped, as though buried alive in a massive coffin. Aro continued to prattle on about Volterra, and how delighted Marcus and Caius would be to see her. Somehow, she doubted it very much. None appeared at all happy that she was travelling with them, save Felix, and he scared her most of all. Jane hated her, that was obvious enough, but could not hurt her. Whereas Felix seemed sinister, and stared at her in such a way as to make her skin crawl. A world apart and from far away, Mike Newton's words came back to her, "He looks at you as though you were something to eat." That was how Felix looked at her. _Creepy._

"Did you hear me, my dear?" Aro asked, now turning to her.

"I'm sorry," Bella said, snapping out of her reverie. It would not do to make Aro think she was dim witted on her first day. "I was just...thinking about Volterra."

"But, that is what I have been talking of! Forgive me, my dear!" he said, patting her arm. Jane saw and scowled. "It must be very exciting for you," Aro continued, neither oblivious nor concerned about Jane's displeasure. "You barely saw the Palazzo on your last visit. Now, you have not seen Volterra until you have seen it at night. My dear, it positively glistens! Truly spectacular! But, you will see all, of course."

Suddenly an idea occurred to Bella. A way out! A means of escape! Something they could not argue with. "I just realized I don't have a passport! I can't possibly fly to Italy!"

Aro and the others laughed at her innocence. "My dear," Aro said, shaking his head, "you will not need a passport."

"But...when I reach customs, won't I..."

But again the vampires sniggered, and Aro explained, "We fly on our private jet, my dear. I promise you, no customs. No annoying humans to meddle with our affairs, I assure you. You will be quite safe."

Bella's heart dropped. _So much for that idea,_ she thought despondently.

The remainder of the ride continued without conversation. Occasionally, Bella looked past Aro and watched Washington fly by, wondering when she would ever see it again.

The last trip to Italy had been a complete blur. She had been so focused on saving Edward, she had not cared about the dangers to her own life. Now, she was a vampire; the newest addition to an ancient coven, prestigious and great, but also terrifying and macabre. How would she fit in with such a family?

Soon, the rush of planes flying overhead became closer, but the limo did not turn off on the normal off-ramp, leading to the terminal. They instead chose a service ramp, which lead directly onto the runway. A massive gate stood before them with two armed guards. She was sure they would be stopped and checked. _The humans are dead meat, for sure,_ she thought, preparing herself to witness the savage attack, hoping that she wouldn't lose control, herself.

But, no! They stood aside, opening the gate and waved them through. Aro must have seen her astonished face, for he smiled. "We have many high connections saving us from certain...unpleasantries. For us, it is not so much _**what**_ you know, but _**who**_ you know," he said cryptically.

Bella smiled and nodded, inwardly wondering how high up in the chain of command people knew about vampires. How many police commissioners, mayors, senators, and presidents were aware of their existence?

They drove farther out past the busy terminal to massive storage hangers where spare planes were kept, and Bella noticed a small, sleek plane, next to the cumbersome 747s. The limo pulled up and stopped outside of it where a guard stood waiting to open the door. He was not dressed in a grey cloak, but in a fine grey suit, his blood-filled eyes masked behind brown contact lenses. Bella recognized him as being in attendance on her last visit.

"The plane has been refueled, Master," the vampire said as Aro stepped out of the car. "We are ready to take off at the moment you desire."

"Excellent, Demetri!" Aro said, watching all thirteen of his companions gather around them. "You can always be trusted upon to take care of things."

Bella noticed that Demetri did not seem at all surprised to see her there. But then, she was pretty sure that their master almost always got what he wanted.

"Demetri, may I present to you our newest addition? You remember Bella, of course," Aro said, proudly presenting his newest gem.

"Indeed I do," Demetri replied, holding his hand out to Bella, "however, on our last introduction you were still human, is that correct? I'm happy to see you join us."

Not knowing what to say, Bella meekly nodded her head. _This will be like being the new kid at school all over again._ _There will be stares, jealousy, intrigue... If only there were Edward, too..._ Her saving grace.

"It is my wish that you take care of Bella, Demetri," Aro said strictly. "From my estimation, she has the curious ability to attract peril. See to it that she is perfectly safe, and that she has everything she can possibly desire."

"Yes, Master," Demetri said, now bowing deeply and with reverence.

"You see my dear," Aro said, guiding her up the staircase and onto the plane, "I want you to be happy with us. We can offer you much. Only the finest fashions from Milano for you. A new car, Ferrari, of course. A private suite in the villa. You will have the best of everything."

Bella listened to this wooing bribe with mounting suspicion. What on earth was his meaning? He did not act as though he intended their relationship to be a romantic one. There was none of the pettish talk or awkward glances that she had been used to or expected. But, what _**did**_ he want from her? If he was not trying to buy her _**body**_, what _**was**_ he trying to buy?

They stepped into the plane, and Bella stepped into another world. It was as though she had suddenly won the lottery, and experienced how life was like for the super-rich. Massive beige, leather-clad seats filled the plane, set up in groups of four. It was as though she were suddenly in a living room, and not on a plane.

She sat down next to the window, as Aro sat beside her. Now, Demetri sat directly across from her, and smiled. She smiled back, but it vanished again when the stewardess approached them. She was beautiful, but more importantly, _**human**_. Bella could smell her from her seat, and it made her dizzy with desire.

"Master," the Stewardess said, leaning down, "if you so wish it, Lucio will begin to move into queue." She smiled, waiting, as though catering to a plane filled with vampires were the most normal thing in the world.

"By all means, Bianca." Aro said, and watched Bianca stride away. He then turned to see Bella, surprised to find her eyes now firmly clamped shut, and her fingertips pressed hard onto her temple. "Ah, yes. Bianca is human, my dear. One of our necessary players to make sure this production goes smoothly. A hopeful. We have yet to decide about her..."

"Master..." Demetri said, shaking his head. "She's going to lose it," He kept his wary eyes glued on the teetering Bella.

However, she was desperate to try and keep control of the demon inside. "I'm fine," she said gruffly, neither opening her eyes or daring to inhale breath.

"Hmm. When was the last time you ate, my dear?" Aro asked, studying her struggle.

"Two days ago," Bella replied, her eyes still clenched tightly closed.

"Hmm. That is unfortunate. For a more experienced vampire, it should be sufficient. But at the beginning, one is usually insatiable. It is a pity, but feel free to take her, my dear, if you feel you need it."

Bella could not help but cringe at the casual offer to take Bianca's life. The demon within growled with thirsty joy, while the human revolted in disgust. "No," was all she replied, focused and determined on her goal. She thought of Carlisle, and his face brought some comfort and strength. She could control it. She must.

Demetri looked impressed, but was realistic. "It is five hours to New York, and another eight hours to Firenze. She'll never make it."

"I dunno. The kid's got spunk," Felix said as the plane started to move beneath them. "Five hundred says you're wrong."

"You're on!" said several people at once, all laughing at their little life and death joke. Bianca strode back in, oblivious to the wager on her life, and sweetly asked everyone to take their seats.

In the closed confines of the room, there was no escaping Bianca's tantalizing scent, and Bella's face twitched with forged restraint. _Edward! Edward! Edward!_ she chanted in her head, concentrating with all her might on the few fragments of her humanity that she could still feel within her.

"Oh, are you okay?" Bianca said, leaning in dangerously close. The vampires turned expectantly around, waiting to see Bella snap and attack.

"It has been a very long day for her," Aro explained, hoping that Bella would just succumb to her desires and take what was rightfully hers. He could sense Carlisle's mark already upon her, struggling for control on unstable ground. He did not doubt that she could be swayed to truly join the coven in every conceivable way. With a little bit of coaxing, of course.

"Oh. Well, we should be taking off in just a few minutes." Bianca strode away back to the cockpit, narrowly escaping death yet again.

"See?" Felix said smugly. "Told ya. Spunk."

"Shut up, fessacchione!" one guard replied. "We're not even in the air yet!"

Bella neither moved nor spoke again for the entire trip. She sat huddled in her chair, as still as a statue, breathless. She thought of many things while in her introspective stupor. Stupid things came to mind that she hadn't thought about in ages, as well as memories that had long ago been forgotten. But, most of all, she thought about Edward. She played and replayed memories of them together. In particular, their first science class together. She recalled the look on his face, the murderous look in his eyes. She studied what her own feelings had been, and thought deeply as to what Edward had been experiencing at that moment. She repressed the screaming thirst in her throat, and the angry vampire that snarled to escape. It took every ounce of strength, but she succeeded. She felt the skidding ground beneath the plane, and when at last it slowed to a halt, she opened her eyes, confidant that she could breathe again, and not be so dangerously tempted.

Her eyes immediately met Demetri's, and he smiled. "Damn. You just cost me five hundred euros."

"Never bet against a dark horse," Bella said, taking her first breaths slowly, so as not to intoxicate her system with more of Bianca's scent.

"Of that you are quite right, my dear," Aro said, both impressed by her strength, and disappointed that she did not give in. "You see, Demetri? Did I not tell you she was a wonder?"

"You certainly did, Master," Demetri said, wondering what else this dark horse was hiding.


	18. The New Girl

**18. THE NEW GIRL**

Aro had certainly not been kidding when he told Bella that she would not be needing her passport. They went from the plane to another limo, bypassing all police, government officials, and more importantly, customs agents.

Now trapped in Italy without means of escape, security slackened, and Bella was allowed to sit alone beside Aro, gazing out over the Italian countryside. She was looking at it as a tourist would, and not as though this were her second visit. She had no memory of the sweeping green fields, miles of canary yellow sunflowers, or towering cypress trees. On her last visit, her mind had been completely absorbed in saving Edward's life. Now, they were an ocean apart, and not allowed to be near each other.

Yes, she had caught Aro's meaning the moment he had told Edward, no. Two years ago, Aro was desperate to have them both, as well as Alice, as his new prize toys. Why did he reject Edward now? Of all times, now, when she so desperately needed him? If he had been allowed to come, she knew he never would have left her, abandoning her to be alone with the Volturi. He would have stayed; a part of a gruesome coven or not, they would have been together.

But as it was, he was forbidden to come, and she was now alone. Alone, yet surrounded and analyzed, as though under a microscope in Mr. Banner's science class. Demetri and Jane sat side by side across from them, both staring at Bella. Jane at first looked calculating and filled with resentment, but she quickly masked her feelings and smiled. _I'm certainly going to have to watch my back with that one_, Bella thought. Her eyes shifted to Demetri, who still appeared as though trying to figure her out. _A fish bowl_, she surmised. _That's going to be my life from now on. Goodbye privacy and freedom!_

"There!" Aro said, pointing out her tinted window. An ancient city crested on a hill, its red terra cotta bricks stood glinting in the dying sunlight. Tall towers peeked out of its mysterious centre, and as the limo turned, curving with the slinking road up the hill, the towers vanished, hidden behind the looming walls.

"Did you know," Aro said, "those walls were built to keep vampires _**out**_? What the humans don't know won't hurt them. Not in our fair city, at least," he said, his mouth opening wide in a smile, displaying his translucent white teeth.

Bella had been expecting the same amount of traffic as before, but was surprised to see the streets now nearly clear of all cars, the humans by now at home, eating their dinners.

They wound their way around the myriad of cobbled streets, and passed the Palazzo dei Priori. Bella caught a glimpse of the place where she had run into Edward, saving his life, before meeting Jane, Demetri and Felix for the first time. Instinctively, she turned back to Demetri, who seemed to be surmising what she had been looking at, and why. She quickly whirled away, her eyes cast back to the darkening streets lit only by the glow of windows and tall street lamps.

A river split the city in two, and on the left bank, an impressive rectangular building stood several blocks long. The limo pulled up alongside two massive double oak doors with monstrously large door knockers in the shape of what appeared to be the faces of cherubs. However, once Bella had stepped out, and the door swung wide, she noticed that they were not cherubs, but the faces of vampires. Their eyes were, in fact, blood red.

"Master," said the guard in his long black robe, bowing low and stepping aside.

"Ah, Franz!" Aro said, leading the way. "Good to see you. Has Heidi returned yet?"

"Not yet, Master," Franz replied, his thick German accent showing through.

"Ah, well," Aro said, obviously disappointed. "That merely gives us time to show you around your new home, my dear Bella."

Bella smiled, and noticed Franz looking curiously at her. Just then, the other two limos pulled up, the other guards quickly filing out, and joined the group.

Aro and Bella walked on, side by side. She distinctly heard Felix's voice say, "Is she here yet?"

"Not yet," Demetri said, two steps behind Aro and Bella.

"ARGH!" Felix growled, gritting his teeth. "I'm starving!"

"Don't worry," Demetri replied, as though bored, "she'll be along soon enough. There's always plenty of tourists in Siena at this time of year."

"If I had known she was going to be so long, I would've snacked on the plane!" Felix said, obviously set on complaining.

"That human wasn't for you," Demetri replied, still in the same blasé tone.

"Bella didn't want her," Felix justified. He could lament over not eating now, knowing full well that he never would have touched the human with Aro there, having deigned that Bella, and Bella alone, could have her. "What a waste!" he grumbled angrily.

_Men and their stomachs,_ Bella surmised while listening to the conversation without turning around. She was sure that Aro had been listening too, but seemed wholly uninterested in the discourse.

At the end of the long corridor sat a massive sweeping staircase, branching off in two directions. It was fashioned out of cream tumbled marble, and looking up, Bella noticed the ceilings covered with celestial frescos that appeared hundreds of years old.

Aro smiled at her gaping expression, and said, "Do you admire them, my dear?"

"They're...amazing. I've never seen anything like it," Bella replied, feeling a bit awkward to be talking about ceilings with such a large, yet bored, audience.

"No, but this is your first true visit to Italy, my dear," Aro continued, not at all troubled that he was making so many people wait. "I have many fabulous things to show you. These, for example, were painted by the great Michelangelo."

"Wow," was all Bella could utter, staring upward, guessing that there were few, if any, living people in the world who knew of its existence.

"But culture will come later, my dear Bella. For now, Demetri will show you to your room. A servant will fetch you once dinner has arrived."

His casual reference to dinner, as though he had ordered Chinese take-out, as opposed to a tour bus filled with sightseers, made Bella suddenly distressed. She vividly recalled the last visit, and the look on the faces of the victims. If she were present at yet another dinner party, she would not be able to stop herself...

"Uh, Aro," Bella said, nervously. Jane raised her eyebrows at Bella's informal greeting of her master. Bella did not notice it.

It did not seem to disturb Aro, however, for he smiled even wider. "Yes, my dear?"

"Um, would it be okay if I didn't...go?" Bella twisted her fingers in her hands, and waited for unknown wrath to occur. If he ordered her to attend, she would surely obey, but she _**so**_ didn't want to be there.

"I understand my dear, of course. I see Carlisle has made a very big impression on you, despite your age. I had supposed that I had caught you in time, but never mind! I will honour your wishes, of course, my dear. Remember, it is my hope that you be happy here. La mia casa è la sua casa. Demetri will see to your...diet."

"Oh, thank you, Aro!" Bella exclaimed, smiling now more freely.

It gladdened him to see her suddenly come to life, her anxieties now stripped away. "Not at all, my dear Bella. I'll send a servant at midnight then, and we shall talk. Is that alright?"

Jane's eyes seethed with rage! Her master asking permission from a witless nobody, with no particular talent?!

Bella nodded her head gratefully. "Midnight," she repeated.

Aro nodded his head, and instead of going up the stairs, made a sharp right. All followed in his wake save for Demetri.

"Follow me," Demetri said, and climbed the stairs with Bella following behind, trying to memorize the way.

The corridors were a labyrinth of turns; Bella had not a hope of remembering the way. There were many doors, all closed, but no numbers. In their place were hung paintings, no bigger than half a foot wide. In the end, Demetri stopped at a bare wooden door, its marker being a portrait of something so ironically comical, she could not contain the snort within her.

Demetri glanced back at her in surprise, curious as to the cause of her hilarity.

"I'm sorry," she said, struggling to contain her giggles, as he unlocked the door. "It's just...the painting..."

"Painted by Caius," Demetri replied, unsure of how his master would feel knowing that the strange young one found his art so amusing. "He thought numbers on the door a trifle...hotel-looking."

"No! It's beautiful," Bella said, catching her error. "It's just...it's a wolf."

"Yes..." Demetri said, still struggling to make the connection. "We have wolves in Russia, too. But, how is this humorous?"

"It's just..." Bella faltered. How was she to explain that her best friend, and one of her dearest loves was, in point of fact, a werewolf? "It reminds me of a friend of mine, and...I just wasn't expecting it. Not here, anyway."

Demetri seemed to find this answer acceptable enough, and so swung open the door, and stepped aside.

The room was, by all accounts, very grand indeed. The floor was polished marble, twelve foot ceilings were painted in gold leaf, and a glorious crystal chandelier hanging from the centre of the room offset an ornate canopy bed hung with lush purple velvet drapes. A doorway led to a sitting room with two gold silk settees facing toward each other. There was a long terrace, expanding to the length of the two rooms, as well as an en suite bathroom. It was a room fit for a queen, and thinking of it as hers made Bella feel quite insignificant.

"What's wrong?" Demetri said, looking at her face with masterful observation. "You do not like it? Well, there are other rooms, but not so large. Aro chose it especially..."

"No, I like it!" Bella lied, quick to interrupt. She was a guest, and guests do not criticize. "It's just..." She glanced around the room, needing an excuse for her odd behaviour. "The bed! I mean, why have one if we never sleep?"

"Beds are not just for sleeping in," Demetri replied without thinking.

If Bella had the ability to blush, she would have been red to the tips of her hair. "Okay. You can leave now," she said, wholly uncomfortable, but feeling pretty confident that she could fight him off if it came to that. She had _**not**_ come here for sex! At least, not with Edward half a world away!

Demetri, thoroughly embarrassed, said sharply, "Now, that's not at all what I meant to insinuate! I...beg your pardon."

Seeing his sudden discomfort, Bella was quick to forgive. "Forget about it. Um...so...when would be a good time to go hunting?"

"Hunting?"

"Yeah," Bella said. It was now her turn to be confused. She had assumed he understood, by the way Aro had nonchalantly volunteered his services to use at her disposal. "I don't eat people. I hunt animals."

"I understood that," Demetri said. "It was your 'hunting' comment that caught me."

"Well...how else am I to catch my food?" Bella did not think this an unreasonable question by far, and was quite surprised when Demetri broke out into laughter.

"I'm sorry," he said, desperately trying to stifle his laugh, "but, you are in Italy, Bella."

She blinked at him for several seconds before replying, "Yes...I know..."

"But..." he gazed at her incredulously, but then, it seemed, he decided to be kind, as opposed to rude. "Europe is not like Washington, Bella. It is so highly populated, and small. Ancient land that has been lived on and tilled for millennia. There are not the primeval forests of the Rocky Mountains at our doorstep. The wilderness to which you refer would lead us far north into Russia. One cannot go running about in Europe in search of wolves or deer!"

Utterly naive and stupid, that's how Bella felt. It was as though she was hellbent on making a ridiculous spectacle of herself, so he could laugh and tell all his vampire friends how uncultured she was. "Oh," she replied, desperate for him to now leave so that she could wallow in shame in private.

The qualm of regret hit him hard. "I am sorry, Bella," he said, fully meaning each word. "You must forgive my...lack of manners. It's...unforgivable."

"It's okay," she was quick to reply, though still feeling like a complete idiot.

"I should have told you straight away. I shall bring your meals to you."

"What? Here?"

"In the lower levels, there is space that will do fine. There you can eat...without an audience. None to criticize you."

"Thank you," Bella said, now grateful for his turn of kindness.

He nodded his head, and brusquely turned to the door. "I'll fetch you as soon as it has come."

"Oh, no! You can just send someone. I mean, I don't want you to go to a lot of trouble just to get me...food."

"I am merely following orders," Demetri replied, and shut the door behind him.

Almost immediately, a knock sounded at the door. He opened it again, shaking his head. "I almost forgot. If you ever need me, Heidi and my room is three doors down to your right, at the portrait of the slaughtered pig. To your left is Jane, then Alec. To your direct right is Felix, and beside him Armand."

"Alright," Bella replied, though entirely sure that she'd never be able to remember the order, much less find her way around.

"Don't look so frightened, Bella," Demetri said, looking at her more kindly still. "You really are welcome here. You have no enemies."

_Not even Jane?_ But Bella could not bring herself to say the words. She didn't know how close Demetri and Jane were, and did not want to start out on her first day making unwarranted enemies. "Thanks," was all that she replied, saving her anxieties for herself.

Once again he nodded and strode out, leaving her as alone as she felt in such a large, preposterously grandiose room.


	19. Blood

**19. BLOOD**

Bella stood on her balcony a long while, gazing out onto the rectangular courtyard filled with fig trees and cascading fountains. It struck her odd at how serene and peaceful the ambiance of this place was, while its foundation was built on violence and murder. Murders that she inwardly thirsted for with an unyielding desire. Desires that she fought with struggling desperation. In the stillness of the night, her imagination was allowed to run rampant, fantasizing the taste in her mouth, the smell in her nostrils, and the fulfilling satisfaction of attaining what her body craved most.

Bella shook her head, snapping herself out of daydreams that she knew would do her no good. She was determined to stay true to the Cullen way of life. It seemed the last link between her and the life she so much wanted. The last connection to Edward that Aro could not break.

However, what frightened her was the thought that he might _**try**_ to sever that link, and tempt her into converting to his way of life. Would she be able to resist? She had proven her willpower on the plane, and even impressed herself with her strength.

But, fresh flowing blood, so sweet and alluring might prove too much for her to withstand. If she were to slip, she knew Edward would forgive her. As would Carlisle, but what of herself? If she were to commit atrocities in this place, the others here so willing and encouraging, would she ever find her way back to herself? Would the demon return with a bloodthirsty vengeance? Would Bella, her soul, be destroyed?

No, she said, shaking her head. She must be intransigent! Time would change everything. Perhaps Edward would be allowed to come, or she would be set free. He may still want her...

But then again, he may not. Bella believed he loved her now, but would he love her tomorrow? Would he wait for her, no matter how long? What was to stop him from moving on to the supermodel vampire still waiting in the wings?

She sighed, disappointed to have her thoughts moving in circles, never finding any satisfying answer. In life, or in her case, existence, there was no certainty. In an ever variable world, she looked to what she knew, and did not doubt. After deep contemplation, she reached a less than satisfying conclusion. There were only three things about which she was absolutely positive.

Firstly, she was a vampire.

Secondly, she thirsted for blood, and did not know how long she'd be able to resist the temptations of the Volturi.

And thirdly, that she was unconditionally and irrevocably in love with Edward until the day she existed no more. There simply was no moving on from him, and if they could not be together, she still wanted to make him proud of her.

Suddenly, a knock sounded at the door, and Bella called for the person to enter. The door swung wide revealing the slim figure of a blonde vampire. "Bella? My name is Rosa. Demetri sent me to fetch you."

"Do you know why?" Bella trusted Demetri, but only to an extent.

Rosa shook her head. "He said you would know."

"Oh," Bella said, smiling slightly. Rosa must be her dinner bell. "Alright. Lead the way."

Bella had hoped that Rosa would extend greetings, perhaps make small talk about the Volturi, and the inner workings of the three brothers, but she seemed as closed off as the others, either unwilling, or unable to make small talk. Bella followed through the maze of passageways and staircases, leading far down below street level into the dungeon depths that was the villa. Rosa stopped outside a large wooden door, and without another word, nodded, and strode off again.

Bella could hear Rosa's retreating footsteps resound against the bricked walls and ceilings. Gathering her courage, she opened the door to see a sight she had not expected.

Demetri stood in what appeared to be an old wine cellar, standing alone against the torch-lit walls. In the middle of the room stood three goats nonchalantly munching on some straw.

"Shut the door, or they'll try to escape," Demetri said, appearing as though he had already been sent on a merry chase rounding them up.

Bella blinked at her intended meal. It was a far cry from mountain lion, or even white-tailed deer. "Goats?" she asked incredulously.

"I'm afraid you're going to be on a strict diet of farm animals from now on. Wild animals of the size you will routinely require is just too difficult. And then, there is the laborious task of transporting them. No, it'll be goats, and perhaps cattle or swine from now on."

Bella stared at him, and could not help but smile. The struggle he must have suffered to bring about her bizarre request. He looked as though the goats had certainly given him a run for his money. The imaginary image of him grappling a five hundred pound sow made her giggle out loud.

He smiled in response, allowing himself to see the humour in the ridiculous situation. "I'm happy it amuses you," he replied in spite of himself.

"I'm sorry," Bella said, unable to control herself. "It's just...the thought of you running rampant in a barnyard... I hope you didn't frighten the chickens. They're bound to go off lay."

"Heaven forbid I frighten the chickens," Demetri replied, feeling a strange sense of relief to be smiling honestly and freely for the first time in months. "But, don't let me keep you."  
At first, Bella felt quite shy. She had never killed with an audience before. She was sure she was capable, but having never witnessed one herself, she did not know for certain if he would laugh at her technique. Better Demetri than Aro, she reasoned in the end, and breathed deeply, letting the scent of the warm blood fill her lungs. She slowly turned her neck, allowing the demon in her to grow stronger, taking control. Instinctively, she leaned into attack stance. The goats sensed a predator in their midst, and nervously whinnied and scurried about the room in search of an escape. Bella lunged, bestially grasping the largest male goat securely with her iron-like hands. Within the span of a heartbeat, she bit, and the goat did not even have time enough to cry out in pain.

Demetri observed her curiously. He had expected to be revolted, and was surprised with how far he found himself from disgust. Animals did not contain the same sweet aroma, or tantalizing predilection that humans offered. But as it was, Bella's fluid, animalistic movements looked remarkably natural. She moved from one to the second, and at last to the third, taking her time, yet causing surprisingly little fear in the animals, as though her intention was to spare them distress. Demetri thought he had never before seen a more humane killing.

And, more surprisingly still, for the first time since his first kill at age fifteen, he felt the sharp sting of shame.

Bella rose from the corpses at her feet, her head swimming with rich, intoxicating blood. Wiping her mouth with the back of her hand, she blinked her eyes open.

"Strange," Demetri said, saying his thoughts out loud. Bella turned, insulted and a little hurt, but he was quick to explain. "Your eyes," he continued penitently. "They're...less red."

Bella smiled, and instinctively raised her hand to her eyelid. A piece of Edward seemed to be there. How she longed to look in the mirror and see the same beautiful golden eyes that she had seen countlessly penetrating into her own. "It's the animal blood. It turns the eyes golden. It's...beautiful. I hate the red, like something out of a horror movie."

Demetri instinctively felt another pang of discomfort. Its presence made him feel quite agitated, and he twitched with its newfound appearance. He had never had another of his kind judge him like this, neither their eating methods or eye colour. For centuries, it had been the natural thing for him, and never before had he second guessed it. But as she uttered the words so carelessly and without fear of reproach, he felt disgusted with himself. _Why? _he wondered.

"I have to go. Heidi...she called and should be here by now," he said bitingly, suddenly avoiding her gaze. Bella wondered what she had said to insult him, but he did not give her time to inquire. "Don't worry about the...uh..." he said, pointing to the dead goats at her feet. "I'll...uh, take care of it after...yeah."

Without a further word, he strode from the room, leaving the door open. She watched him storm down the long corridor, his long cloak billowing behind him, wondering if she had inadvertently just lost the only friend she had at Volterra.

Demetri, however, felt as though he were battling his own raging war within him. He had always known why Aro had chosen him that fateful night. He was a born killer, yet also had the ability to charm the powerful. The little that he could remember of his bleak and strife-ridden childhood, the better. He always felt, even as a human, that his life began when he found the militia, and joined her majesty Empress Elizabeth's army in 1759. He quickly rose up the ranks, proudly displaying his unyielding courage, and thirst for battle. Many noticed, including that of his empress. While a human, he was both a lover and a fighter, and after her death, found he had a partiality for Russian nobility. Empress Catherine, now eager and compliant, spinning her own web of intrigue and coup d'état, was only too pleased to enjoy the sensual pleasures that her hero of the hour had to offer. The gallant soldier seemed only too eager to kill her unnecessary husband for her. After the deed was done, the young Demetri soon found himself banished from court, and striped of his rank in the army. Exiled to Vienna, it was there he met Aro, and after the very brief acquaintance, he was transformed into the monster.

But now, as Demetri the vampire strode down the halls, his brain flooded with the memories of his past, he felt desirous of be rid of it all. He could not change what he had done any more than he could change what he was. Aro had chosen him because of his killing ability, telling him so while offering immortality."You have the air of an executioner about you," that's what Aro had said. And it was true, every word of it. Demetri never denied it. Nonetheless, now in his 266th year, was that all there was to him? Was he simply a killing machine, a slave to his masters' will, bound to do whatever dark deed they wished? Long ago, he had concluded that God had forsaken him, doomed him to this fate and that right or wrong did not matter. No heaven, no hell, only death. He was the bringer of death, and in so doing, was dead himself.

Yet, in Bella's eyes, there seemed so much more. He had gazed at this bizarre creature, alike them in appearance, but in almost every other way, seemed completely contrary. He could see why Aro had so desperately coveted her. She truly was a wonder.

He shook his head, declaring her prattle to be inane nonsense. Soon enough, she would join them in their feasts of the flesh, all righteousness forsaken. Her will was nothing compared to Aro's resolve, who seemed to desire nothing but her. Soon, all would again return to what it was, and no more would he plague himself with useless moral badgering.

He marched farther down the ornate hallway, turning as needed, focused on his task. He would rid himself of this crippling sensation, if he had to cut out his still heart to do it!

Felix swaggered out of the antechamber, his hood cast back and blood staining his grey robe. "Demetri, why so late? You missed great pickings tonight. They really put up a fight. Well, tried to at least. But, don't worry. Heidi made us save you one."

"Thanks," Demetri said, his voice and air unusually dark as he passed through the door to the feeding room. All the vampires had already left, save for Heidi, who preferred not to eat and run. A firm hand over her victim's mouth, and another on his arm, she drank slowly, taking her time. She stopped briefly when Demetri came in, and cast a bloody, gruesome smile to her lover. "I saved you one, Darling. Felix was about to gorge himself, but I made him change his mind."

Demetri looked from her to his intended victim. She was small, no more than 5 foot tall, and had been part of the Chinese tour group along with her parents, touring around Italy. It had been her first time ever leaving China. And now, as the bodies of every other person lay bloodied and lifeless at her feet, she stood in the centre of the room, shaking with uncontrollable fear.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Heidi wondered aloud, her iron-like grip still on her dying victim.

Demetri had been wondering the same thing. What _**was**_ he waiting for? Anxious to be free from the penetrating stings inside him, he attacked, sucking the lifeblood from his victim. She fell from his arms to the floor, her dead eyes transfixed in terror up at him.

He had expected to feel relief. Indeed, he was no longer thirsty, but now, as the girl's dead expression hounded him, he turned away, disgusted with himself.

Heidi failed to notice his pain, so engrossed as she was with her own meal. At last, Demetri escaped the room, and ran, wishing to also flee the hold that Volterra had on him.

It was not until near dawn that Bella meandered back to her room, her first meeting with Aro now over with. She returned with a much more relieved heart. Aro had acted like a doting grandfather, desirous only of her happiness. He delighted in her lack of knowledge of what he deemed important, mostly the arts and history of Europe. He felt incumbent to teach her of the past, and in so doing, connect the three thousand years that divided them. Bella seemed a most interested scholar, only further encouraging his desire to pass down his extensive knowledge.

Logically, he had decided to start her tutoring at the beginning, and had spent most of their time together describing in detail his beginning, in what is now referred to as ancient Rome. Bella had just been musing on these points, of the class and cultures, and vampires of the time when she unlocked her door, and closed it behind her. She had barely taken two steps when a quiet knock sounded at the door. Turning around, she opened it, surprised to see Demetri looking decidedly flustered.

"Demetri, are you okay?" Bella asked, wondering at her friend's inner agony.

"I...uh, was just wondering if we could talk."

"Sure," Bella said, opening the door wide so that he could pass. His movements seemed reluctant, as though every thought was a battle not easily won or lost. "What's up?" She closed the door softly behind her.

"I was just wondering if you could tell me some more."

_Huh?_ Bella wondered, confused as though she had somehow missed the beginning of the conversation and still struggled to catch up. "More about what?"

Demetri sighed, and appeared hesitant to even speak. "More about...where you come from, and the vampires there. More about...why you feed the way you do." He turned to look at her, and was relieved to see that her eyes were kind. They held no judgement or condemnation. "I was just wondering."

"Sure," Bella said, sitting down on the balcony chair, as he did likewise. _Where to begin?_


	20. Monotony

**20. MONOTONY**

"_**GOD!**_" Rosalie exclaimed, enraged despite Edward not doing anything in particular to infuriate her. But, after all, it was his irritating perverseness of lazing about like a slug, refusing to leave the house except to hunt, and forever moaning about an even more annoying Bella. Rose had reached the end of her tether, and at last could take no more. "For Christ's sake, Edward! It's been _**seven months!**_ She's not coming back, so just...get over it! Tell Alice to shut up about seeing her, and move on! You couldn't get more annoying if you tried!"

There was a time when Edward would have fought back, snarled with the same ferociousness that now filled Rosalie's throat. But, no. What was the point? He knew he was a drain on his family, weighing them down with his listlessness and sorrow. The past seven months without Bella had been long and difficult.

Even worse was the charade Alice was now forced to play. For the first month, Esme wrote Bella's email to Charlie and Renée, but no more. The mountain of lies and frantic responses from Bella's worried parents proved too much for Esme to bear. Alice quickly agreed to take over the task, but now felt the heavy burden of having to compose careless messages intended to hurt, and push them away.

They discussed the topic at length. By all intents and purposes, Bella was dead. It only made sense to put them out of their misery, and have Bella legally declared dead. But, how? There was no body, no actual paperwork leading her to Europe. If Charlie contacted Interpol, there would be hell to pay with the Volturi.

Edward was forbidden to go anywhere near Forks, or even be seen, as he was believed to now be in Istanbul with Bella. The web of lies grew tighter around them, until the conversation moved from what to do with Bella, to leaving Forks altogether.

Edward was absolute. While a chance remained that Bella could return, he would wait, even if it was for a hundred years. Secretly, he knew he would sooner go to Italy and beg to join the Volturi well before the century was up, but kept that secret plan to himself. If Alice saw it, she pretended not to. For now, they remained, but even Edward knew that they could not stay there forever.

"By all accounts," Carlisle said at one of their routine family meetings, "it's not good for any of you to be seen here. I know you don't like it, Edward, but it really is time that we moved on. I fear we are beginning to look a little conspicuous."

"I'll still be able to watch her, Edward," Alice said, confidently. "If there's any change, I'm sure I'll see it."

"If need be, I'll stay alone," Edward replied, his voice breaking slightly, all the while visualizing himself a hermit trapped in a massive house.

"All alone?" Emmett countered, shaking his head. "Not a good idea, Bro. You'll stir yourself crazy."

"She would come _**here**_," Edward replied, firmly. "She knows _**here**_, not anywhere else. If she were to come back to an empty house..." He closed his eyes, but could not escape the image of a forlorn Bella, returning only to think that he had deserted her yet again... "I understand why you all need to go, but not me. If there's even a remote chance that she could come back and we not see it, I'll stay. I just can't do that to her, and no amount of persuading will make me change my mind."

Carlisle nodded his head, ever the peacemaker and voice of reason. He could not torment his son into betraying his purpose. "I understand, and will not try to dissuade you. But, Emmett is right. You should not be here alone. I propose that we take shifts, alternating each week."

"I don't need a babysitter," Edward replied, thoroughly missing the point of Carlisle's suggestion, as absorbed within himself as he was.

"Agree to it, Edward," Esme pleaded, taking his hand in hers from across the table. "You shouldn't be alone. Please say yes."

The last thing Edward wanted was to cause his family even further distress, particularly Esme. "It's really not up to me," he said, squeezing her hand.

"Oh, you know Rose and I will come, Idiot," Emmett said, wrapping his arm around a glowering Rosalie.

"And Jasper and I will, of course, stay with you," Alice said, also volunteering her spouse for the job. "I've seen it. We'll have good times."

Edward flashed her a knowing glance. He could clearly see into her thoughts, and no such vision resided there.

"Yeah," Jasper said, nodding his head, not believing Alice in the slightest. "Good times," he said flatly. However, if the times ahead would be anything like the months past, the times would be far from fun. To make Alice happy, however, he would gladly endure any of Edward's melancholy moods.

"It's settled then," Carlisle declared before Edward could change his mind. "As for the rest of us, I've been thinking about Sweet Home, Oregon. You won't remember it, Emmett, Alice and Jasper; it's before your time, but was a nice little town that we stayed in for a few years in the fifties. I've been doing a little research, and it's grown to a staggering eight thousand population."

The group tittered mock surprise, and laughed. All would have agreed that laughter was a welcome change.

"I know," Carlisle continued, smiling, "but, it's a lot like Forks. Set at the base of national parkland with plenty of wilderness about, and close enough to the cities for shopping," he added, leaning Rosalie's way. "I've inquired, and have been offered a job near there in the town of Corvallis. What do you think?"

"It's mid-school year," Rosalie complained. "Think I can pass for a sophomore?"

"I think so," Carlisle said, though believing that she looked a little old to even pass as a senior.

"I've no interest in doing the college scene right away again," she continued absentmindedly.

"You may not wish to go at all this year, since you'll be away for weeks on end back here," Esme said, gently. "Plus, no reason to start off school mid year."

Rose smiled, nodding, grateful to have an excuse to stop the pretense for a time. The longer they appeared as a normal family, the longer they could stay in one place. However, it was now March. Three months left of school hardly seemed worth worrying about. "Alright. Sweet Home it is, though it's a ludicrous name for a town. And, we'll come back here for _**your**_ sake," Rosalie said to Edward, earning a kiss from Emmett. "Just try to perk up a little bit, okay? The endless wallowing gets on my nerves."

"Hey," Edward replied, the half-cocked grin returning, "I'll try to be less self-centered if you will."

Emmett let out a loud snort, quickly covering his mouth with his massive hand. Rose looked from him, back to Edward. "Eat shit and die," she replied, getting up from the table with a loud scrape, stalking away while the others attempted to suppress their laughter.

A week later, most of the belongings were packed up. Carlisle accepted the job in Corvallis, and even managed to find a large country house turn key. It was a fixer upper, but Rosalie thrived on the idea of mending it up, and making it their own.

Away from the others, Esme anxiously pulled Edward into a tight hug, obviously unwilling to let her boy go so soon. "Oregon isn't so very far," she said, not letting go an inch. "And I'll be up next week. It'll be harder for Carlisle to get away, but he's worked it out to always get Mondays and Tuesdays off, so he'll come up then."

"It's alright, Esme," Edward said, when she had finally released her bear-like grip on him. "You can always call me, remember? As you said, Oregon isn't so very far away."

Esme nodded, but still seemed reluctant to move. "She..." she began, stumbling, not knowing if she should say this or not, "...she loves you, son. I'm sure of it. Bella is aching as much as you are. That is why it never made sense to us for you two to be apart. You belong together. It's cruel to separate you."

"That's why I'm staying," Edward replied. "You were right, and I was wrong. Trust me, I'm not going to make the same mistakes again."

Esme smiled, but always a mother, could not help but continue to worry. "What if they won't let her go?"

Edward sighed. That's what had been bothering him also. "I don't know. We couldn't fight them, not even if we had fifty well-trained soldiers. No. Whatever is to be done, must be done with their permission."

"Promise me you won't do anything rash without discussing it as a family first," Esme urged, tugging on his shirt.

"I promise," Edward said, speaking in all honesty. No matter what crazy scheme he made up that would allow him and Bella to be together, he wouldn't want it to be a surprise to his family. He owed them that much at the very least.


	21. Plots and Schemes

**21. PLOTS AND SCHEMES**

Hooded in a crimson cape, Bella strode down the cobbled street, Demetri two steps behind her. She stopped abruptly, and turned to look at him. The unspoken exchange said more than words. Stepping into a large doorway, she pushed open the massive wooden door, entering a marbled entranceway. A receptionist in a tight leather dress stood in awe, phone still in hand, and said, "Come posso aiutarlo?"

"I'm here to speak with Signor Giavelli," Bella replied, her voice cold and hard, unlike the warmth in her golden eyes.

The receptionist balked at the pair, unsure of what to do, while the person on the other end of the phone began to shout. Ignoring the phone, she shook her head apologetically, saying, "Sono spiacente. È non disponibile ora."

"Oh, I'm sure he'll find the time," Bella said, turning away, and striding up the grand staircase, Demetri directly behind.

Standing with her mouth agape, the receptionist hung up the phone, only to buzz her boss's office. She had been put under strict orders not to allow any cloaked figures to see him. She would be fired, for sure!

Bella did not know the exact route to Giavelli's office, and turned instead to Demetri's knowledge. "Fear," he said quietly. "Can you smell it? He already knows we're coming."

Bella nodded, and did as Demetri instructed. Once she focused on a particular scent, her path became quite clear. At the far end of the hall stood tall double doors. They opened them wide, and stepped into the grande office. Without word or warning, Demetri gently shut them closed, blocking the way. Giavelli stood behind his desk, shaking and sweating in supreme anxiety. "Buon pomeriggio! Uh, you are American, no? Uh, how I help you?"

"My masters asked me to come and wish you good day. You know my masters, do you not? Known in Volterra as 'Tre fratelli'?"

"Si," he whispered, all the blood draining from his face, turning it snowy white.

"Bueno," Bella replied, "That makes things easier. My masters bid me ask you why you dishonour them?"

"D...d...dishonour?" Senior Giavelli stuttered. "No! Non li disonorerei mai!"

"Did you not contact a senior official in Roma yesterday by the name of Moretti to try and rid Volterra of, now what was the phrase you used? Sezione disgustosa di culto? Disgusting cult sect? I must tell you, my masters did not like that in the least..."

"You...you misunderstand! I...I can explain!"

"Explanations are not necessary. What is necessary, is that you again contact Senior Moretti and say that you were mistaken."

"Si! Si! Whatever you say!"

"We will know if you have done this."

"Si! Si! I do it today!"

Bella nodded her head, saying, "We do not give second chances. However, seeing that you are the Mayor of Volterra, we are willing to do this for you. Betray our trust again, however, and you will not be so fortunate."

Senior Giavelli swallowed hard, and nodded his head.

Once outside, Bella could breathe again. The closed rooms, filled with inebriating and mouth-watering human scent was difficult for both Bella and Demetri to withstand.

"You were wonderful in there," Demetri said. "I'm glad you did all the talking. I was holding my breath the entire time."

"It was hard. There were so many people; it's not getting easier fast enough," Bella said as they leisurely strode toward home. "I just wish Aro hadn't made _**me**_ in charge of Human Relations. I still don't feel strong enough to talk to them."

"You're stronger than most. Can you imagine Felix doing what you just did? It'd be front page news the next day! 'Mass killing at Mayoral office!' No, Aro, Caius and Marcus definitely wouldn't have liked that! You give yourself far too little credit."

"It's just...this isn't exactly what I wanted to do with my life."

"Life? You're talking in human terms again. Existence is a better word. Besides, look at Aro! Three thousand years and still counting. Forever is a lot of time to do a lot of things. This is acceptable for now."

"I guess so," Bella said, wondering to herself how she would fill eternity? Would life ever become boring? As always, her mind flitted back to Edward. She would gladly spend all of her immortality doing the most monotonous of jobs if only they could be together.

It had now been nearly eight months, and she still had not heard from him. It was true, _**she**_ had not tried to call, but simply on account that Aro would not like it. As the months passed, however, she sensed a change in him. His brow tended to furrow when he gazed at her, as though not impressed enough, or she was not meeting his high expectations. She was secretly glad of it, hoping that he would just cast her back to where she came from. Oh, to hop on a plane for home! But, even if she could, would Edward be waiting for her?

It was odd that she could exist around such beauty, and yet not appreciate it. Even as she and Demetri strolled down the street, she could not feel the awed wonder of the seven hundred year old stone houses with their orange terra cotta rooftops, spring flowers already shooting up from every window box, or the gratification of being somewhere other than small towns, and mundane life. There was only one place in the world she truly wanted to be, and that was wherever Edward was.

Demetri wondered at Bella's pensive silence. They had just reached the Villa de Volturi when, sensing someone watching them, both gazed upward high into the western tower. Aro and Caius stood there, their faces equally as pensive.

"I will grant you," Caius said bleakly, gazing downward through the ancient bubbled glass, "that she is more powerful than I first deemed, but that is the extent of it."

"Come, Brother!" Aro contended, as they turned away from the fading light of the window. "Her talent is most promising! Jane, much to her mortification, has no hold on her. And Alec, Giorgio, and Armand, all have attempted their gifts on her and failed!"

"And yet she lacks the killer desire. Carlisle's influence is too great, it seems, and what use is that to us? She has even converted Demetri to this perverse manner. Demetri! Once one of our most ruthless assassins, now will not even come near when our meals arrive. She is more trouble than blessing."

Aro's brow furrowed once more, and Caius wondered if it was to become a fixture on his face, he made it so often. "Tell, Brother, what troubles you so? Have out with it."

Aro sighed. "There is truth in what you say, I grant you, but...who better to deal with the humans than one of our kind that will not devour them? Even you must agree that it is an advantage worth having."

"Possibly," Caius said, though looking far from convinced. "But perhaps my reluctance is not on Bella's behalf, but on yours. Tell me, Aro. What hold does this newborn have over you?"

He took several minutes before replying. "Not hold, merely a fascination. She is unlike any of our kind that I have ever met. Even now, I feel there is more to her, something that we are not seeing, but I cannot grasp it. Like smoke, it escapes through my fingers while I try to grab hold."

"Do you not then think that if she were to feast like us, that mysterious part would awaken?"

"It is possible, but I am resolved, Caius. Part of the child I enjoy is her reluctance, the juvenile steadfastness in which she clings to her inhibitions. She is...charming. As long as she wishes it, I will not tempt her to change."

Aro may have the fortunate ability to experience one's thought, but Caius considered himself a superb reader of emotions. He did not need to delve into Aro's mind to know there was more than his brother wished to tell. "That is not all, Brother, surely? What else troubles you concerning the child?"

Turning toward his brother, he lowered his voice to a whisper, as though he were telling secrets below his reproach. "It is merely...must Carlisle have everything?"

"You are _**jealous**_?" Caius said incredulously. "I fear you have been eating too many Americans."

"It is not that," Aro said, smiling at his brother's attempt at levity. "It is merely...I did so desire for her to _**want**_ to be here. To not have to _**force**_ her."

"And does she not?"

"No," Aro replied, quite put out, the furrow returning to his face. "She does not mention it, but I have been told that she forever pines for Edward."

"Bring him hither, then, and she will wish to stay."

"But then _**he**_ shall have her, not _**I**_."

"Brother," Caius said gently, "I thought you too old for moon-calf love."

"Love, Brother, has nothing to do with it." Aro then glided from the room, leaving Caius alone in the topmost tower. Several minutes passed, until at last he called for the servant guarding the door.

"Master?" the cloaked soldier said, bowing low on bended knee.

"Send Jane to me," Caius replied, watching the servant bow again, obediently carrying out his task. Caius only had enough time to sit in his throne-like chair when Jane appeared humbly before him. She, too bowed low, her reverent eyes firmly clasped on her master's face.

"You summoned, Master?"

"Jane," Caius began, choosing his words most carefully. He knew there could be no deceiving his brother. "I feel it is time that our little friend join us once and for all. Do you not agree?"

Jane smiled wickedly. "Yes, Master."


	22. Arias and Endings

**22. ARIAS AND ENDINGS**

It was exceedingly rare that Aro ever left the villa, but two days later, six vampires forsook their usual robes, and dressed in their best. Bella had gone shopping with Heidi, and it struck Bella how altered Heidi was around her now. Before she had been warm, and full of fun. It wasn't until later that Demetri shed some light on the situation. He had moved out of their room, choosing instead one of the smaller rooms on the north side of the villa.

Now, as they stood side by side, Bella began to witness the death of a relationship in eternal terms. _Was this what it would have been like if the Volturi had not come that day? Neither daring to move, or speak. Awkward glances, uncomfortable silences, forgotten love?_ It was terrible to witness.

"Damn, Bella!" Felix said approaching while tugging on his tie, clad in his Gucci tux. "You look hot tonight! Blue suits you."

"Thanks," Bella replied, uncomfortably. Once again, Felix began to stare, and Bella prayed that he wasn't getting any ideas. Their rooms were side by side, and she'd had enough of his nighttime prowling. His offers to help relieve her stress, and aid in her moving on from Edward may have seemed kind, had she not known him for the immeasurable pig that he really was. However, she had learned not to be instigated by his verbal baits. He seemed to enjoy things that put up a fight.

"Who, uh, who are you wearing?" Felix asked, though more interested it seemed in looking down her top than its designer.

"I dunno," Bella replied, shifting uncomfortably in the long, slinky silk dress that clung to her body as though made with static electricity.

"There you all are. Just waiting for Aro, I see," Alec said, joining them, Jane hanging off his arm. He was dressed to perfection in his Dulce & Gabbana tux, while Jane's unusual dress made of blood-red crushed velvet seemed to be something from another time. It was long sleeved, and high collared; only the wrists and collar had the embellishment of white ruffled lace.

Bella continued to shift uncomfortably under the scrutinizing glare of Jane, who looked her up and down, sneering. Bella knew she had nothing to be ashamed off; Heidi was wearing far less than she. Stubbornly, she turned her head away, unfortunately meeting Felix's ogle.

"So, Bella. Ever been to an opera before?" he said, speaking to her breasts as opposed to her face.

"My face is up here, thank you," Bella said, much to the snickers of the others. "And, no. This is my first opera."

"Wonderful!" Aro exclaimed, gliding silently toward them. He wore long robes of black and gold, forgoing the traditional tuxedo for comfort. He held out his arm, taking Bella's, leading the way. Tonight they were to walk, as the opera house was only three blocks away. "You cannot go wrong with Puccini, my dear. For your first opera, you will be enchanted!"

"What's _Puccini_ about?" Bella asked innocently.

There again were the titters, laughing at her lack of culture. "Puccini, my dear," Aro replied gently, "is a composer. We are to see his greatest opera, _La Bohème_."

"Oh," Bella said, grateful that she could no longer blush.

"And, it is a love story," Aro continued. "Perhaps the greatest love story ever told."

"Better than _Romeo and Juliet_?" Bella asked, anxious to show that she in fact had _**some**_knowledge.

Aro smiled. "Shakespeare, of course, perfected the story in his play, Prokrofiev the ballet, but Charles Gounod's opera is nothing to the perfection that is Puccini."

They stepped out into the night air, a heaven of stars glistening overhead as many couples made their way down the street.

Aro continued to talk, as though completely undisturbed by the proximity of so many humans. "It was after the premier night of _La Bohème_ that I was quite tempted to change him, you know."

Bella glanced sideways at him, blinking. "Who, Puccini? Why didn't you?"

Smiling, Aro replied, "There are many reasons why to change someone, my dear. For company, for love," he said, nodding her way, "and also for more practical reasons. But, no. I was tempted, sorely tempted, to change Giacomo Puccini, simply on the pretext that if he could create such magnificence in human years, imagine what he could create if he had all of eternity!"

Bella wondered at that a moment, during a pause in the conversation. That reason was not selfish, was it? Imagine what plays Shakespeare could have written, or Emily Brontë! An eternity to compose and hone one's skills! Would it not then, make the world a better place? Like Carlisle? "So, why didn't you?"

"There is a risk in changing creative artisans, my dearest Bella, due to the fact that they are all slightly mad already. As tempted as I was to change Puccini, I had learned from my past mistakes."

"Really? Who?" Bella said, her mind now running wild trying to recall which poet or author may have been a vampire. "Dickens?"

More sniggers. "Van Gogh," Felix replied, much to the dislike of Aro.

"Felix..." he said sternly. "My story..."

"Sorry, Master," Felix said, and thoroughly meaning it.

Sighing deeply as to this interruption, Aro proceeded. "Yes, Vincent van Gogh. A genius, to be sure, and ailing at the time I found him. I had mistaken his brilliance for eccentricities, but he was mad as a hatter, poor fellow. And when the change came, he was dreadfully unstable. No, it is a pity it had to end that way, but there you have it. Ah! Here we are!"

Bella looked up to see that they had arrived at their destination. The opera house was large, and the gathering crowd swelled around them, yet instinctively keeping a distance. Bella held her breath as the wafts of human perfume washed over them. For one thing she was certain. None, not even Felix, would dare step out of line that night.

They strode up the steps, receiving many stares, and more surprisingly a great many bows. Aro took to it in a kindly way, nodding his head, and waving his hand, as though a celebrity. Someone began applauding, and some more people followed notice, and like sheep, took up the duty. Bella, her head down and her hand clamped firmly on the hard rock the was Aro's arm, strode ever onward, guided gently by her master.

Aro seemed to know the way, and they floated up the steps to the first floor balcony. Bella would have thought that the orchestra seats would have been the most preferable, but then realized that Aro was leading them to a private box. She smiled at her stupidity. Of course, they would be just far enough away from the humans that no accidents would occur.

Aro guided Bella to the front, and Demetri held out her chair for her, and then took a seat to her left. Aro sat on her right, and the others behind. Bella dared not turn around. She had the sinking suspicion that she was sitting in what used to be Jane's seat.

Demetri leaned in, "How are you holding up? Ready to jump into the orchestra pit and attack the wood section?"

"No," Bella said, smiling. "I'm...okay. Say, will I understand a word of this?"

"Well," Demetri said, rubbing his chin, "how's your Italian coming along?"

"Badly," Bella admitted. "I understand it better than I speak it. But, hey! I have eternity, right?"

"Right," he replied, smiling, showing his perfectly white teeth.

Suddenly, the lights began to dim, and the orchestra (the one that Demetri envisioned Bella ravaging) began to play. The curtain parted, and instantly, Bella was swept away. She kind of liked not understanding a syllable they said, it gave it an odd romanticism to it. The storyline was easy enough to follow along, and Bella floated on the rhythms and swells of the music that seemed to fill the entire opera house, as well as her. She felt the music vibrate on her skin, and could not help but smile in glorious desire when Mimi met Rodolfo. Their intertwined voices soared to celestial heights, filling Bella's chest with yearning for her own true love. Their unknown words, put to such mellifluous song, made her own heart inflate. She caressed her engagement ring, the ever fixed symbol of Edward's love. Whether his love was still there, was a thought she refused to address at such a moment.

Curiously, she suddenly felt as though someone was watching her. She turned to Demetri, but he seemed likewise enchanted with the love-story on stage. Aro had his eyes closed, captivated by the music. Confused, she began to search the sea of human faces, all turned impassively toward the stage. All, but one face. A face she would recognize anywhere. Jacob's face.

"Bella? You okay?" Demetri asked, and without thinking, she turned away to answer.

"I'm fine!" she said smiling, turning back to him, though suddenly scared beyond belief. She again looked to Jacob, only to discover he was no longer there. The song ended, applause rang out, but there was no more Jacob. Had she been mistaken, or simply delusional?

_I'm really starting to lose it now_, she thought to herself, chastising her overactive imagination.

She spent the remainder of the opera stretched between the drama enfolding on stage and the vain search for Jacob in the crowd, but she never found him again. The last aria rose into the air, fading and then finished. The house erupted into shouting applause and standing ovation as the cast came upon the stage for a final bow. They then rose, and turned to Aro's box, bowing deeply again. More applause from the audience rang out, along with shouts in Italian that she did not recognize.

Aro took it much like before, with an impish smile, and a wave of his hand. Bella, however, was thoroughly shocked. Weren't the Volturi strict about _**hiding**_ their identity? "Do they know what he is?" she asked, leaning close to Demetri.

"Let me put it this way," he said, clapping along with the crowd. "Aro, Caius and Marcus have lived over three thousand years in the same city. I'm sure there's bound to have been some talk."

Bella gazed at the reverent faces staring up at them, and the deference that they showed to Aro. It felt as though she had fallen into a warped version of_ The Godfather_, only Don Corleone _**eats**_ his victims instead of showering them in bullets. Bella tried to remember how the movie ended. Didn't the daughter die?

"Well, my dear," Aro said, rising and holding out his arm as Bella grasped it with her pale hand. "How did you enjoy it?"

"It was...awesome," Bella replied, stealing glances into the merging crowd down below, but all she could see were the backs of people's heads. "But..."

"But?" Aro replied, obviously shocked that she dared to find fault with perfection.

Pausing for a moment, Bella replied what, to her, seemed utterly obvious. "She _**died**_!"

Aro laughed, his voice ringing like a cluster of bells. "Death is the human condition, my dear Bella. All that lives is born to die. It is their fate."

"Yes, but..." Bella didn't know how to continue. She heard the words in her head, but they suddenly sounded so childish, she didn't want to say them out loud. Not to him, anyway. Jane, she knew, would have a field day.

"But..." Aro began, as they made their way out the opera house, "no happy ending, is that correct?"

_Am I that transparent_? she wondered. "Yeah," she said, hoping that the others weren't listening too closely.

"Happy endings are the childhood human fantasy, my dear. In truth, there is no such thing as a happy ending. Had Mimi lived, she more than likely would have died another day, be it from tuberculosis, in an accident, or in child birth. Even your Romeo and Juliet died for love. That is the human necessity. All that lives, dies, and therefore, there will never be a happy ending for any of them."

Bella swallowed. It felt as though someone just told her that Christmas was canceled, or that Renée wasn't really her mother. Or...that Edward didn't love her. She had felt that despondency before.

"No," Aro continued, "all the best tales all have unhappy ends, my dear. Your _Romeo and Juliet_, my _La Bohème_."

"And what about us?" she ventured to ask, not really sure if she wanted to hear his reply.

Aro sensed her deflation. "My dear, that is the _**human**_ circumstance, not ours. Indeed, for us, there is no end."

Bella could not think as to how to reply, she was so lost in her own thoughts. Was she mistaken about everything? Had she been so desperate for a spark of home that she would invent seeing Jacob just to ease some forlorn piece of herself? And, was Aro right as well? Were there truly no happy endings? Eternity seemed unthinkable. She would go on, continue to exist for thousands of millennia, but what kind of existence was that without love? Without Edward?


	23. The Damned

**23. THE DAMNED**

Felix strode down the corridor filled with tapestries and crumbling portraits, his nose ever sniffing the air. He motioned to turn left, only to instantly change his mind, and instead veered right. This chaotic path led him to the ground floor garden, where amidst olive trees and birdsong, he at last discovered his quarry.

Bella sat on a stone bench, immersed in Aro's latest instruction. She was reading a paperback book, seemingly of no importance. That is, until Felix strode closer.

"Ah," Felix said, nodding his head. "Yeah, I was wondering when Aro was going to make you read that. Le Vicomte du Toulon, right? _L'histoire de ma vie après ma mort_. _The Story of My Life After My Death_."

"You read it?" Bella asked, thoroughly surprised.

Felix laughed, and Bella thought that he'd be cute if he wasn't such a sadistic lecher.

"Aro makes everyone read it who comes here. We have it in English, Italian, German, French, Spanish, Russian, and Greek."

"Wow," Bella said, impressed. "How did he manage to get it published?"

"Because he's a vampire? It's all in who you know. Plus, you know humans. They love to read about vampires. The crazy, yummy critters that they are."

Bella shook her head, ignoring the last remark. "Do you know if he's still alive?"

"Careful, Bella."

"I mean," Bella said, annoyed that he caught her mistake, "do you know if he still _**exists**_?"

Felix smiled, and looked at her hungrily. "Yeah, he's still around. Lives in France. I met him once with Aro."

"He sounds fascinating. Some people lead such exciting, yet horrific lives. I mean, here he is, a French viscount condemned by the mob during the revolution, only for him to be turned before guillotined. It's... amazing."

"Oh, he's a character, all right. If I remember correctly, he prefers to eat young boys. What part are you at?" He appeared as though he were leaning over to look at the book, but in actuality, his ever roaming eyes found themselves gazing further down her top.

Bella grimaced at the mental vision of a vampire wearing a powdered wig, sucking on a toddler. "Uh," Bella said, her mind a sudden blur of disgust and desire, "he's just been sent to the Bastille."

"Oh," Felix replied, leaning back. "You're nearly at the good part. His wife and children are about to be guillotined. Can you imagine existing at that time? We're talking a _**river**_ of blood..."

The fiery thirst broke out in Bella's throat, impulsively her mouth flooded with venom. She turned to him, her dangerous, angry eyes her only warning. "Felix, what do you want? I'm busy. Go away."

"Can't," he replied, enjoying that he was able to get under her skin. "I'm a man on a mission."

"Not a vampire on a mission?" Bella replied, acting totally disinterested now, trying to immersed herself back in the less-appealing book.

"Caught me. No, I'm here to tell you that you have been summoned."

"Summoned?" She could not help but be taken aback now. "By Aro?"

Felix shook his head. "Jane."

"Oh...Well, what does she want?"

"You."

"What's that supposed to mean?"

Felix smiled. "She wants to see you in that room you and Demetri...how should I put it? Go...animalistic in?"

Bella rose, her book in hand. "Don't be nasty, Felix. You're nauseating enough as it is." She strode away, and he could not help but watch her bum wiggle as she stalked away. The day would come when she would no longer be Aro's favourite pet, and he could get himself in on the action. Yes, Bella would definitely put up a fight...

Bella now knew the maze of staircases and passageways better than the back of her hand. She maneuvered the way, passing cloaked vampires as she went, only a few of which she knew by name. Life at Volterra seemed like another high school, of sorts. There were cliques and hierarchies; the closer you could get to the three masters, the better off you were. Bella knew she was one of Aro's favourites, and it was both a blessing and a detriment. She felt infinitely protected, and respected. The only one who was consistently out of line with her was Felix, and being another of Aro's favourites, felt he could be a shit-disturber and not worry about being severely punished. Jane was one of Bella's drawbacks. Her jealously seemed immeasurable. To this date, in all the months she had spent in Volterra, Jane had not said one word to her. There was no mistaking the look of pure hatred in her eyes, however. So at this moment, strolling alone toward her enemy, Bella felt more than a little unease.

_What was Jane on about?_ Bella wondered. _And for all places she would want to meet me! Why wouldn't she just call me to her room like a sane person would? Bitch..._

Bella strode down the last of the dungeon steps, and further down the palely lit corridor, anxious to have whatever Jane wanted to say to her, over with.

As soon as Bella opened the door, she knew. In fact, she knew when her hand touched the doorknob, but as her brain struggled to identify the strange smell, her eyes told her the answer. The room was filled with roses. Probably close to four hundred, and their scent was overpowering the smell of what also was in the cavernous room. Jane stood by the far wall, directly opposite Bella. But that wasn't what drove a jolt of fear through Bella, making her immobile. It was what was sitting on the chair in front of Jane.

A young woman, no older than twenty with cascading dark curls, sat perfectly still with a terrified look upon her face. She made no sound, but the tears streaming down her face spoke volumes. And Bella could clearly see, protruding from beneath the girl's dress, a very prominent belly. The girl was pregnant.

"What the hell's going on here, Jane?" Bella asked, trying not to breathe in the inebriating mix of blood and roses.

"Shut the door, and I'll tell you," Jane said, her voice cold and even.

"I think I'll leave it open, thanks."

Jane smiled. "As you wish. How long have you been with us now, Bella?"

"Eight months and two days."

"And still you resist truly joining us. Why?"

"That's none of your business," Bella replied sharply, but so much talk made her intake breath. She could smell the human, hear the two heartbeats. Treacherously, her eyes grew black, and her head began to swim with longing.

"You really believe that, do you?" Jane said, noting the subtle changes in Bella's demeanor. If only Bella had closed the door, she would not be able to escape the scent...

"Aro doesn't care! Why should you?" Bella spat, clenching her fists into tight, white balls. She must keep control!

"Oh, I believe Aro cares much more than he admits."

"You presume you know more than Aro?"

Jane froze, the smile fading from her already pale face. "I did not say that."

"Was this _**his**_ idea, then?" Bella said, her body beginning to tremble. It had been two days since she had eaten. It should be long enough, but the glow on the young girl's face as all her blood rushed to her panicked cheeks was difficult to resist.

"No. But this perverted pretense of yours has gone on long enough, don't you think? It's just not _**natural**_, Bella. You refuse what we truly are, and why? You are no longer one of them. There is no turning back."

"Who said I want to go back?"

"Then, is it pity you have for them? Pity for their frail bodies, illnesses, and cruel hearts? They live on this earth like a disease. Have no sympathy for them! The baby that this one carries will not alter the world so much. More likely it too will fester, spreading nothing but destruction in its wake."

"You don't know that."

"They have no feelings, Bella. They are as dumb and witless as the beasts you so love to eat. I see no difference. There is no divine soul." Jane pulled the girl's hair back, exposing her white neck. Bella could clearly see a pulsing blue vein.

"You're wrong."

"You would only be taking what is rightfully yours to claim!" Jane said, her voice rising, exasperated. "You are a monster, Bella."

"You know what? Maybe you're right. About all of it! But, just because I'm a monster doesn't mean I have to act like it. The world is not so black and white."

"There's nothing grey about this," Jane replied, slicing the girl's skin open with her razor-sharp fingernail.

The aroma hit Bella like a tidal wave. She cupped her mouth with her hand, and turned away, but her legs didn't want to cooperate. The demon within her awoke, and reared its ugly head.

"Blood is what we covet, Bella. Blood above everything. Companionship is good, and love is all very well, but if there is one need, it is this. Why do you deny yourself?"

The next thing Bella knew, she was on her knees, and she felt the rush of blood fill her mouth, trickling down her thirsty throat. Her eyes flashed open, and another second later, she pushed herself backward, slamming into the brick wall, crumbling the bricks behind her.

Hyperventilating, she drew her hand to her mouth, only to pull it away in horror. The young girls blood was smeared across her face. "Oh my God...oh my God..."

Jane's moment of triumph was short lived. She stared at Bella, shocked. Not only had she never seen anybody stop after barely so much as a taste, but now the stupid bitch looked _**sorry**_ for it! "Finish her off, Bella! You can't leave her like this!"

Bella looked down at the shaking girl, now lying in shock upon the cold, stone floor. One hand clasped tightly around her pregnant belly, while the other futilely gripped on her oozing wound. Deep crimson flowed between her fingers, leaving streaks of white and red. "I can't..." Bella whispered, feeling as though she may vomit.

"If you don't, you'll change her. Aro would be furious!" Jane was now panicked. Bella wasn't acting at all like how she thought she would. In the end, she decided sweet-talking would be best. "Come now, Bella. Can't you see? She's suffering! Best get it over and done with."

Bella just shook her head, her hand clasped tightly over her mouth.

Jane sighed, saying the most tempting thing she could think of. "You've never tasted anything until you've tasted baby..."

That was the final straw. Bella bolted from the room, and didn't look back. She was overcome with fear for the mess she had caused, and guilt-ridden for taking the life of two innocents. She truly was a monster.

Jane sighed again, staring down mercilessly at the girl clinging to life. "Damn," she said, and ruthlessly snapped the girl's neck.

But onward Bella ran. Her footsteps echoed down the empty passageways, and soon she found her way out, past the guards, and through the streets of Volterra. At last in a dark, shadowed corner of an alleyway, she stopped, breathing in and out deeply, trying not to hyperventilate. A sob escaped her, even if the tears could not.

She was so disgustingly weak! At the first scent of blood she crumbled like a house of cards. She shook her head, angry that she had so little willpower. Edward would not have reacted that way! He had killed people too, sure, but not like that. Never like that.

"Bella?" a voice said in the darkness. Instinctively, Bella froze, and the person drew closer.

"Jacob?"

"I thought I saw you!" Jacob said, pulling her close against his fiery chest. He now wore a t-shirt, but with the same old shorts. "Hey, are you alright?"

Bella sobbed, releasing what emotion she could, but in all honesty, she missed the relief that only tears could bring.

Jacob clasped her tighter, his face becoming hard. "What did they do to you?"

"Not them," she struggled to say. "It's what I did."

"What did you do?"

Bella could hear the caution in his voice. _But no_, she thought._ Honesty is better. Even if it meant driving him away. It'd probably be safer that way._ She caught herself on the last thought. Edward had said something very similar to her on the night Aro arrived in Forks. Was 'safer' really the best way to go?

"Bella..." he said, squeezing her. "Talk to me. What happened?"

"I...hurt someone. I didn't mean to. I didn't want to! It just...happened so fast!"

"Hey! Look at me!" Jacob forced her face to look up at his. Under the dim faraway lamplight, he gazed into her eyes. "A little red. Not too much. You couldn't have hurt them that bad."

"It doesn't work that way. Once a person is bitten, it's very difficult to save them. Oh God, Jacob! It's horrible!"

Jacob was confused. He knew that she had killed people before. What was the difference now? "What makes this one so special?"

Bella struggled to find the words. In truth, they were there, on the tip of her tongue, but she was reluctant to say them. What would he think? Would he shun her? Reject her? Hate her? He couldn't hate her more than she hated herself. "You don't want to know."

"Hey, it's me! Get it off your chest, already!"

"She..." Bella closed her eyes tightly. If he were to storm off, she didn't want to see him leave. She couldn't stand the thought of seeing the disgust upon his face. "She was pregnant."

"Fuck, Bella," Jacob said, shaking his head, but not loosening his grip. "Well, I guess it couldn't be helped. Do you think you'd ever do it again?"

"No!" she said quickly, but she still tasted the girl in her mouth, and felt the warmth of the blood seep around in her. "At least, I would try harder not to."

"Well, I guess that's better than admitting you've got a taste for preggo."

Bella could not help but smile, and Jacob knew he had succeeded in one thing, at least. He had found the Bella he loved.


	24. Heat

**24. HEAT**

Bella let out a laugh, but the next second it turned into a tearless whimper.

"Aw, c'mon Bells. Don't cry."

Shaking her head, Bella tried to stop the mounting distress. He had forgiven her so easily, and she knew he always would. No matter what, it seemed. She could kill, time and again, and he would always be there to tell her it was okay. But, was it okay? She could still see the poor defenseless girl, shaking...on the verge of changing... What in God's name would happen to the baby? Bella had barely had a taste, just enough to do the gravest of damage.

"Bells," Jacob said, his voice whining slightly. "What are you thinking? I can't_**stand**_ your silence right now!"

"I want to get away. I'm going to be in so much trouble when I get back. I just want to run away for a little while."

"Let's go!" Jacob said, already tugging on her arm out the alleyway.

Together, hand in hand, they made off like thieves in the night. Under the concealment of shadow and a thin crescent moon, they ran at inhuman speed, out of Volterra, and into the fields beyond the town. Beside a crumbling stone wall, Bella slowed to a halt.

"What's wrong? Why are you stopping?" Jacob said, turning back.

"I can only go for a little while, Jacob."

"Are you crazy? You said yourself you'd be in trouble! Why not make a run for it? They're not following you. C'mon, let's go!"

"I can't, Jacob!" Bella said, pleading for him to understand. "They've been so good to me. I can't just take off without another word. It would look...ungrateful."

"_**Ungrateful?!**_" Jacob repeated cynically. "They took you away that day, Bella! You were given the choice to go with them or die, and you think you should be _**grateful**_?!"

"Yes," she replied softly. "If I go, I must have their consent to go. You don't understand how it works here. Hey, did you ever see _The Godfather_?"

"I think so...once. Why? You're saying the bloodsuckers are a mafia?"

"Sort of. They're kind of organized the same way. They have the same sort of history, and need for respect. If I were to leave now, like this, it would look...terrible. They may come after me. No, I won't do it, Jacob. Not like this."

"Then, _**how**_?" he said, stepping close to her and grasping her arms with his scalding hot hands.

"I don't know. Maybe if I talk to Aro and tell him how unhappy I am, he'll let me go."

"You're sure you won't leave any other way?"

"I'm sure. Trust me, Jacob. This is the best way. And they really have been kind to me. Most of them, anyway..."

It was evident that Jacob did not like it, but had no choice but to accept Bella's terms. "Alright, if you're going to be pig-headed. When are you going to talk to him?"

"I have a lesson with him tomorrow. I'll ask him then."

"Lesson?" Jacob said, laughing. "What the hell does he teach you? The best ways to suck blood?"

"No," Bella said, annoyed by his vulgarity. "He teaches me art, history, and music. He's taught me so much about the history of the Roman Empire, back to the time of the Etruscans. He's taught me Greek plays, how to analyze art..."

"And operas?" Jacob said smiling.

"I _**knew**_ it was you! I thought I was seeing things, because the next second you vanished!"

"The vamp next to you was paying more attention after you noticed me, so I high-tailed outta there. I was just thankful that I caught a glimpse of you. I'd been hanging around Volterra for weeks, but when I saw the lot of you go out that night, I thought I'd try to get in. Figures that all they had left was an orchestra seat that set me back two hundred euros!"

Bella giggled, and for the first time in so long, felt like her old self again. It was just as it had been when it was just the two of them. So natural, so comfortable. No pretense or misgiving. Just her and her Jacob. "Did you at least enjoy what little you heard?"

"God, no! I couldn't understand a bloody word of it. Did you?"

"I thought it was beautiful," she said, shrugging her shoulder.

"Well, maybe it's 'cause I didn't stay for the whole thing," he said, stroking her arm, enjoying the strange sensation of ice that would not melt under his hand. "I've missed you so much, Bells. These eight months have been killer."

Bella didn't know how to ask what she really wanted to know. Would Jacob push her away and fly off the handle? "How's Edward?" she asked, not daring to look at him.

His hand stopped momentarily on her arm, and then continued in the same sweeping caress. "Haven't seen or heard from him since the day you left."

"Oh," Bella replied, unable to masque her disappointment.

"We thought it best to go our separate ways. I get the children on weekends, he got the house."

"Shut up, Jacob," Bella said, laughing and pushing him in the ribs.

He would not have liked to admit it, but that playful jab actually hurt. "Why, you miss him?"

How to answer? Edward had not come, but Jacob did. Could it be that she had been mistaken all this time, and deluded herself into thinking that he still wanted her? "I miss a lot of things. I miss home," she thought it prudent to reply.

"Me too. I haven't been back in ages, except to stop in and see my dad last Christmas. Look there's something I guess you ought to know, but I wasn't sure if I should tell you or not."

"Why? What is it? Is it Charlie? Is he hurt?"

"No, it's...Edward. Or, Carlisle, actually. My dad told me he's..."

"He's...what?"

Jacob watched Bella with a hawk-like glare. "Gone. He quit his job at the hospital, apparently. Moved on to another hospital out of state."

Bella's dead heart sank. "They moved? Without even telling me? Couldn't they have let me know somehow?" Bella stared off at nothing in particular, her mind running in circles.

She looked so piteous that even Jacob could not help but try and comfort her. "It may have been just a rumour around town. Who knows, he could be wrong."

Bella didn't want to think about it anymore. It was _**so**_ like Edward that she wondered why she was even surprised. Purely typical Edward behaviour. Just up and leave, no consideration for anybody else. "Did Billy say how Charlie is?" she asked, not wanting to think of Edward anymore. She knew she'd just cry tearless dry sobs of anguish. Jacob didn't need to see that.

Jacob, however, seemed even less pleased with this turn of the conversation. "He said he's alright."

Shrewd as ever, Bella urged, "C'mon, Jacob. You can tell me."

"He just...misses you, that's all. Hey, did you know you're now supposedly in Sweden?"

"Sweden?!"

"Yeah. I guess Alice keeps up the emailing for you."

Somehow, she didn't know why, that bit of information made her feel better. Alice was still helping her. She was still cared for, and that knowledge felt good.

She looked up at Jacob, and he suddenly smiled and grabbed both her hands. "I can't believe I'm actually here with you, in Italy! I've been dreaming about this for so long! I was beginning to think I'd never find you again."

"I was beginning to think I'd never be found."

Jacob stared at her. "You knew I'd come for you, right? You knew I was coming, didn't you? I mean, I'm sorry it took so long. It takes forever nowadays to get a passport, and then I had to get some money. Airfare to Italy ain't cheap."

"I...should never have doubted that you would come for me. I guess I knew, sooner or later that you'd show up."

"Bad pennies always do," he said, an impish grin on his face. "Say, how much time do you think you have until you have to go back?"

Bella looked up into the night sky. "It's a clear night. Tomorrow will be sunny. Four hours, maybe five."

"Do you think they'll follow us here?"

"I don't think so. Others come and go as they please, so long as they follow the rules."

"Rules?"

"No eating outside of home."

"Ah. Well, let's talk then. I want to know everything."

They sat on the dark grass, and the April breeze swept past them, blowing Bella's hair about. They talked of many things in those hours. They talked of home, of memories past, and of days gone by. Bella told him of her life at the Villa de Volturi, about Jane and Demetri. He became stiff as a rigid board upon her description of Felix's rudeness.

"And what did you tell him?" Jacob asked, his eyes now as dark as his surname.

"I told him to piss off, and leave me alone. I've learned you shouldn't push Felix too far. He loves it when things resist him. Don't get me wrong! I always do, but I refuse to play his games."

"What about this Demetri? Have you and he..."

"No!" Bella said smiling, and giving him a sharp smack. "We're friends. _**Just**_ friends."

"Yeah, well, you are and I were what you call 'just friends', and look at us?"

"Yes."

Jacob smiled. He recognized that look in her eyes. "Do you remember that night in the tent?"

"Yes."

"And the following morning when I was leaving..."

"I remember, Jacob. I was there too, after all."

"Yep," Jacob said, laying back on the grass. "Back in the days when you used to _**beg**_ me to kiss you!"

"You fooled me that time, I still haven't quite forgiven you!"

"What about now?" he asked, all levity aside. "It's been a long time since then, Bella. I think you'll agree a lot has happened. Is it my turn to beg?"

Bella watched him as he lay on the grass, the ghostly moonlight almost making him as pale as her. She didn't know why, but she leaned over and kissed him. His hand drew up in a flash, engulfed in her sea of hair, and pulled her close. Without resistence, she fell onto him, desirous to be loved and needed as she always was with Jacob. He rolled on top of her, his hands moving as freely as his spirit over her body. They paused at her breasts, and she immediately tore her lips away. "Jacob! Wait, wait! Jacob...I can't."

"What? Why?" he begged, his lips so close to hers, they nearly joined again, but Bella pushed him away.

"I'm not ready for that yet."

He let out a loud groan, and rolled off her. They laid on the grass, side by side, both panting slightly due to the sexual rush. "Is it because you're still wearing his ring?"

Looking over, Bella tried to gauge his possible response if she answered with total honesty. Instead, she gave the safe answer. "I haven't had the guts to take it off yet, actually."

Jacob turned toward her, onto his side, his dark eyes not allowing her any room to hide. "Now, don't give me all that 'I wear it out of habit' crap. You're still in love with him, aren't you?"

She thought very hard about lying. It was very tempting, and easy enough to do. But, didn't he deserve the truth? "Yes."

He sighed, weighing her answer. "Okay. Well, answer me this, Bells. If what's-his-name..."

"Aro?"

"Yeah, Aro. If Aro gives you permission to leave, who would you go to? An honest answer, please."

Bella leaned her head back against the grass. Who _**should**_ she go to? She wanted answers from Edward, but perhaps she'd already got all the answers she was going to get from him back in August. Maybe, it really was over between them. What then? She had once said, 'Edward or no one', but time apart can lead a girl to think. She had spent eight months without Edward, and wanted him more with every second that passed. But, after all is said and done, where was he? In all frankness, she hadn't a clue!

But, Jacob... Jacob was there and had been missing her too! Jacob had travelled so far, and despite life-threatening perils, had sought her out. Wasn't that worth something? Had she simply been a fool all this time, rejecting what was always there? "If I leave with you, I stay with you. Satisfied?"

"You won't go looking for him? Not even if we go back to the States?"

"I won't. I promise."

"Then, I'm satisfied."

She crawled into the notch in his arm, and leaned her head against his boiling chest. They laid there a long time, neither moving or speaking. Jacob watched the slow movement of the moon, making its lingering migration across the night sky. Bella stayed focused on another, less variable object: Jacob's beating heart. It had been so long since she had heard her own beating, she didn't realize how she had missed it. Ear to his chest, she concentrated not on the demon within her, crying out for the blood the heart was pumping, but for the human life force he emanated.

In the end, it was Jacob who proved responsible, stirring her with his hand. "Hey, did you fall asleep?"

"I don't sleep, remember?"

"Oh yeah, right. It's just, you were still so long."

"Thinking."

"The sky is changing colour, Bella. You'd better get back before the sun crests that hill."

"Alright," Bella replied, rising off the hard earth.

Jacob moved stiffly, humanly stretching out his muscles. "When am I going to see you again?"

"I don't know. Aro will send someone to get me for my lesson. Probably this afternoon sometime."

"I'll meet you here, then. Can you remember the way?"

"Oh yeah," Bella said, smiling. "You stink like dog, remember. I'd recognize your scent anywhere."

With that, she turned and dashed with lightening speed through the field, and up the hill toward Volterra.

"Likewise," he said adoringly.


	25. Sequestered

**25. SEQUESTERED**

After a long night's adventure, filled with both tragedy and exhilaration, Bella returned to the villa. She was just about to creep back into her room, when in a flash, Demetri was at her side.

"Bella! Where the hell were you?"

Avoiding eye contact, Bella focused instead on fitting the unruly key in the door. "I went out."

He stopped, his face becoming instantly suspicious. "You smell weird. Who've you been with?"

"Nobody," she was quick to lie, grateful that the lock distraction prevented her from having to look him directly in the eye.

"May I come in? We need to talk."

The door opened with a click. "Sure," she replied, filled with dread. She didn't want to sit down, as it felt too much like an interrogation.

He shut the door behind him. "I know what happened with Jane. I sent someone to tell you I had arrived with dinner, and then went down to the cellar. You can imagine my reaction as I'm dragging two, very disobliging goats behind me, only to find the room covered in roses, with a human on the floor. Naturally, Jane didn't want to tell me what happened. She was pretty nasty about it, actually, and only changed her mind when I threatened to go straight to Aro."

"Did she tell you what I did?" Bella said, her face still turned away.

"Don't you mean what she _**made**_ you do? You can't blame yourself for that, Bella! I always thought Jane was sadistic, but I never thought she was evil before. Aro's going to be furious!"

Hiding her face in her hands, Bella escaped to the little bit of darkness there where Demetri couldn't see her face. "Is the girl changing?"

"Girl? Oh, you mean the one you bit? Jane killed her, Bella. Snapped her neck like a twig. But to try to tempt you with that...it's just... I can't imagine what you must have suffered."

"I thought I was so strong, but I wasn't," Bella said, turning to look at him for the first time. "My first time of ever really being tempted. I mean, she cut her, Demetri! My first whiff of blood, and I broke!"

Demetri didn't know what to say. He simply grabbed her, and held her close. Who was he to counsel her on the right and wrong, when he had killed thousands? "I know you feel badly, but you know what? It's not like you hunted her down with the intention of killing her. It's not even like you wanted to do it, Bella. To control the fire inside you, is probably the hardest thing you'll ever have to master. Everyone makes mistakes. And you know, pregnant girls are the worst. Get a whiff of their blood, and its like fighting fire. Don't know what it is..."

"I'm just disappointed with myself, that's all," she said. "I thought I was tougher than that."

"Give yourself some credit. Do you remember Bianca? I thought for sure you were going to crack when I saw you on that plane. But, you didn't." All of a sudden, he pulled her off of him, saying, "Where _**have**_ you been? You smell like you've been rolling around in a kennel!"

"Do I really smell that bad?"

"_**Oh God**_, Bella. Take a shower, please. I beg you."

Bella promptly kicked him out, and willingly jumped into the shower. If she smelled that badly to Demetri, she wondered what Aro would say if he got a sniff.

Afterward, she was sorely tempted to escape her room, and either explore the library for another copy of the Vicomte's book (she had somehow misplaced hers), or sit in the garden and enjoy the spring sunshine. However, under no account was she desirous to meet Jane, and therefore, she hid in her room. Standing on her balcony, the morning sun cascaded in, and once again she marveled at the curiousness of her new skin. The sun's rays sparkled off her pale exterior, and she shone like the diamonds in her glistening engagement ring.

Was it wrong to keep wearing it? She didn't know. Every time she moved to pull it off, something within her cried out, and she couldn't do it. Edward had never asked for it back. He had never officially ended the relationship, but once again, she reprimanded herself for idle fantasies that she had no way of proving true.

What was she waiting for? Like a heroine in a warped and twisted fairy tale, was she waiting for her happy ending that Aro foresaw never coming? But try as she might to reason herself into seeing fact, the ring remained on her finger. _The day I leave with Jacob, I'll take it off. _After all, he deserved as much. It would feel wrong being with Jacob, but wearing Edward's ring. _Tonight then. It comes off tonight._

A knock sounded at the door, and Bella gave entry, hoping it would be anyone but Jane or Felix. Fortune smiled upon her, for in strode Demetri. "I've got good news and bad," he said, now wearing a new change of clothes, his wet hair slicked back against his head. She supposed he had been concerned that Jacob's smell had somehow migrated onto him during the hug. She knew she couldn't take it personally, because technically, it wasn't even her odor.

"Good news, bad news," she replied, mulling over the choice. "Hmm. Dilemma. Or is there a particular order?"

"No order. You choose."

"Good then, I guess."

"Is this yours?" he asked, holding out her battered copy of the Vicomte's grisly life story.

"Oh, thanks!" she exclaimed, taking it, looking it over. "Where did you find it?"

"In the cellar. I guess...when you went down there..." He didn't really want to continue, and stir memories up for her again. She had finally appeared to have calmed down. He was used to women crying and screaming out for help when he approached them. Strangely, that seemed more normal than having a sobbing vampire hanging off him for committing the sin of accidently biting someone. The unrestrained emotions of women did not alter when becoming immortal, he concluded.

"Thanks for returning it," Bella said, pleased that there was no human blood on it. "Oh, and the bad news?"

"Aro's canceled your lesson for today."

One moment at peace, the next moment, Bella was cast into a shroud of agitation. "Did you see him? Did he say why? Did he look angry? I wonder what Jane told him! Oh my God..."

"Bella, calm down!" he said, fearful to recommence the sobbing. "Yeah, I saw him. No, he didn't look angry. He said he was very busy, and did not have time to instruct you today. Period."

"Really?" Bella said, chewing on her fingernail.

"Really."

"Okay. Oh..._**no**_."

"Why 'oh no'? What now?" Demetri was seriously debating on whether Bella was secret-keeping, or she was simply insane.

"It's...nothing. I just really wanted to talk to him today, that's all. Do you think he'll be able to spare five minutes later on?"

"Honestly, I have no idea."

"Okay, thanks."

Demetri fled from the room a few minutes later, upon observing that Bella was in no mood to think rationally today. Regardless of his coaxing, she would not divulge her reasons for so desperately wanting to talk to Aro.

In truth, she had ardently wanted to tell Demetri of her and Jacob's plans. Time and again, Demetri had proven himself to be her one true friend in a place that otherwise would have been unbearable. She felt strange, planning to leave, while not intending to take anything with her. It was not a move where hugs and well-wishes were expected. Most there would be glad to see the back of her, and for her own sake, she couldn't wait to finally be free.

So, why wasn't she happy? The thought had crossed her mind that Aro would refuse to let her go. It was a possibility that she knew Jacob would not take lightly. She merely hoped that he would not put himself in danger, upset the family, and get himself killed. If he would just stay away until she could talk to Aro, everything would be fine. Wouldn't it?

Bella had not even noticed that the sun had long set, and she was sitting in a dark room, she was so absorbed in thought. A knock sounded at the door, breaking her preoccupation, and she glanced about, disoriented.

Demetri knocked again, and then cautiously entered. He noticed that she still sat in the same chair from that morning and asked, "Have you been sitting there worrying all day?"

"Yes," Bella replied, rubbing her alabaster brow with her slender hand.

"Alright, that's it," Demetri said, striding in, and taking hold of her arm. "C'mon, out you go."

"What? Where are we going?"

"You need to eat something, before you lose total control. Heidi's bringing dinner tonight, and I don't want any wafting human scents to drive you more deranged than you already are."

Bella was tempted to put up a fight. Not only on the grounds of the hurtful sanity comments, but also regarding her lack of strength. But, as it was, upon the mere mention of mortals coming, her mouth began to salivate venom, and her breathing quickened. _Yes, non-human food is good food,_ she surmised in the end, and resigned herself to being dragged to the dungeons.

They approached the closed door, and Bella felt her insides quake. The memory of yesterday's drama was so fresh, she could still smell the blood, and see the clear colour of the girl's eyes.

Demetri seemed to sense her fear, and said, "There's nothing to be frightened of. The girl is gone, and all that's left in there is a very cantankerous billy goat."

Allowing herself to smile, she quickly became brave, and opened the door. It was true, no scent remained of either the blood or the roses. The goat, who had been locked in the room now a solid day, had left a prolific amount of fragrant droppings about the room, for which Bella was strangely grateful.

Ten minutes later, her body now filled with warm goat's blood, Bella strode up from the dungeons a restored vampire. She could see now that she had been overreacting, and given herself far too little credit. Edward had once told her how they had all relapsed at one time or another, save Carlisle of course. Somehow that knowledge allowed her to forgive herself a bit, and take the first steps to move onward. With any luck, she could still see Aro, and be off with Jacob before midnight.

She strode through the passageways, now empty and cavernous, and made her way slowly to the great rooms, where the three masters usually presided. Felix came upon her, and licking his finger, he said, "Bella, baby. You won't go that way unless you want a repeat of last night."

"Oh, thanks, Felix," she said, disappointed but appreciative at the same time. She turned around to retrace her steps when he caught up with her in a flash, and swung his great arm onto her shoulder. "Did you not have fun, then? Everyone's talking about it."

"Oh God," Bella groaned. "What are they saying?"

"Besides that you're as mad as a march hare?"

Sighing, Bella whined, "Great. Did you see Aro?"

"No, but I came in late. Why, you worried? You shouldn't be. If anything, he'd be relieved."

"You wouldn't understand. Thanks, Felix," she said, ducking out from under the weight of his heavy arm. She turned toward the entranceway, and he called out, "Hey, where you going?"

"Just out for a stroll," she said, trying to look as innocent as possible.

"No can do. Haven't you heard? I thought for sure Demetri would've told you. It was his idea, after all."

"Told me what?"

"You're not allowed out, Sugar. Not alone, in any case. Not now that you've displayed your total lack of control against the yummy humans..."

"Seriously?" she said, crestfallen. Jacob would be pissed if she was a no-show.

"Yup. You can try getting past Gregorio and Paulo at the door, but I wouldn't recommend it. They're liable to get a bit rough with you. Not that I could blame them," he said, smiling saucily at her.

She slammed her bedroom door shut after narrowly escaping another of Felix's propositions. She didn't know why, but feeding always seemed to make him disgustingly horny.

A knock sounded at her door. Her eyes narrowed, and she approached it, taking in a great sniff. Demetri. She opened it wide, and he strode in, seemingly oblivious to her dark glares his way. "Where'd you go? I turned around, and off you were again! Honestly, Bella. It's like you're mind's in another world today."

They glared at one another, irritated and annoyed. It was sibling disputation at its best.

Bella tapped her foot, irritated. "I went to see Aro. After I couldn't get to him, I tried to go for a walk outside. I'm just curious, do you have something to say to me?"

Rolling his head, Demetri said, "It's for your own sake, Bella! You just relapsed! Do you really want to test yourself amongst them so soon afterward? It's not safe, and you know it! I won't apologize for trying to protect you!"

"So, instead you make me a prisoner here?"

"Aro asked my honest opinion, and I gave it. What else could I do? I can't believe you're angry with me for doing what any rational person would see is right!"

"That's not why I'm angry, and you know it! It's that I had no say at all. You went right above me to Aro, and I haven't even been able to talk to him about it!"

"What's really going on here, Bella?" he asked, his eyes narrowing into little slits, as though he were trying to decipher her cryptic code. He didn't believe for a moment that her childish overreaction had anything to do with not being able to see Aro. "What are you not telling me? What is this all about, really?"

"You don't talk to _**me**_, it seems, so why should I talk to _**you**_!" she snapped.

"Fine!"

"Fine!" she replied in the same aggravated tone. He stormed from the room, slamming the door as he went.


	26. Verdict

**26. VERDICT**

Aro stood in the morning sunlight, his face contemplative and serious. Caius sat beside him, his face ever turned his brother's way, attempting to read his mood.

Suddenly, a cloaked servant entered, bowing low. "You asked to be notified when he entered the city, Master. He is here."

"Very well," Aro said, sweeping his hand away, dismissing him.

"You had better be correct in your theorem, Brother," Caius said sternly. "A single misstep could cause a war. If you have overestimated yet again..."

"I have not," Aro replied, his eyes never leaving the city. "Everything is evolving...as it should be."

"Everything?" Caius questioned. "You have been wrong on this score before. You believed _**her**_ to be the one, and now you admit yourself mistaken."

"Patience, Brother," Aro said, smiling at him for the first time. "Today, you will see."

Bella, of course, did not sleep that night, and not only because she was physically incapable of doing so. She sat alone in her room, reproaching herself for behaving so stupidly with Demetri, feeling guilty for not being able to explain her absence to Jacob, and absorbed in self-pity for being trapped in a place that she just didn't belong in. Right or wrong, this was not her world, and regardless of what Aro's decision would be, it didn't change the fact that this was not her home.

She watched the sunrise that morning, dazzled as the sky turned from midnight blue to copper gold to powder blue over the terra cotta rooftops before her very eyes. She knew this was her last night and morning in Volterra for a long time to come. Somehow, deep within her, she sensed that this fantastical morning dawned change.

A knock at the door sounded, and with a slight sniff over her shoulder, she knew it was Demetri. His scent was becoming more powerful around her. She would miss it. "Come in," she called, and he obeyed.

Striding in, looking somewhat abashed, he cleared his throat and said, "Can you forgive me for last night, Bella? I'm sorry I..."

"Of course I do," she said quickly, turning around. "Look, Demetri. You were right when I said there was something I hadn't told you. I'm...just not sure where to begin..."

"Bella, I _**want**_ to hear it. Honestly, I do, but my apology wasn't my only reason for coming to you this morning. Aro wants to see you."

"Oh!" Bella said, brightening. "Alright."

"And me also. In point of fact, everyone is to be there," he added. He saw Bella's brow furrow, and answered her thought before she could even express it. "I have no idea what it's about, but I don't think we have any cause for concern."

"But...isn't this a little irregular? I mean, in the eight months I've been here, there's never been a meeting like this."

Demetri merely shook his head. He had been honest when he had said that he didn't know the cause for the gathering. What he failed to mention was that the last time he was called to such a meeting, it had a most disturbing outcome. Most reluctant to shock his gentle friend, he chose to keep that information to himself, and simply pray that he was very much mistaken.

They strode together through the lengthy maze of corridors to a room Bella had never been in before. They stood, staring at the massive closed door, and Demetri shed some light. "This room is called La Colosseo. It is only used for special occasions." Bella nodded, though feeling thoroughly apprehensive. As Demetri pulled open the door, she knew at once why it was called The Colosseum. It looked like an ancient, mini replica of it, with a circular stage in the centre, and marble seats rising for three rows above. To the west, on the top row, stood five throne-like chairs. Bella knew without a shadow of a doubt, that this was a place in which sentences were carried out. This was a judicial court of the ancient world.

Dozens of vampires, cloaked in black, grey and crimson had already claimed their seats in the stands. Bella turned, and noticed a very odd sight. Jane, dressed in all black yet minus her cloak, stood still as a statue in the centre of the room, where a great mosaic decorated the floor. It was of the stages of the sun, turning to night, and again, turning to day. In its very centre, under Jane's tiny feet, was a medallion of red marble. The centre of all things vampire: blood.

"What do we do?" Bella whispered to Demetri.

"Sit down," he said, shrugging. They sat on the far right side of the room, closest to the door, as the last of the vampires came in taking their seats, Felix being amongst them. He sat directly behind Demetri and Bella, and leaned down to them. "You guys know what's going on?" he asked, a cocky, know-it-all grin upon his face.

"No, and I don't supposed you'll tell us?" Bella asked, doubtful that Felix would be so obliging.

"And spoil the surprise? Not for all the blood in China." He winked, and sat back, anxious for the show to begin.

A hush fell upon the crowd, and when all was silent, the door again opened. In glided four of their five masters, Caius and Marcus, as well as the two domina of the household, Livia and Agrippina. Without word, they ascended the steps, and took their seats directly opposite Jane. Her head was still bent humbly downcast, immobile.

The door opened again, and Bella's breath caught in her throat. Aro floated neath the archway, Jacob by his side. Demetri heard her sharp intake of breath, and turned to her. "Do you know him?"

As her desperate eyes met with Jacob's she nodded to Demetri's question, yes.

What Bella had been blind to, was that Demetri knew him as well. Or, _**of**_ him, at least. If the dog had supposed he could meander into their city undetected, he was a fool. He remained alive because his masters' wished it, and no reason more.

He could smell the creature from where he sat, and wondered how Bella could possibly stand it...

Aro silently drifted toward Jane, and whispered something to her. She bowed reverently, and then moved off to the left. Aro stood in the centre of the mini amphitheater, and raised his ghostly-white hands. "Vampiri! We gather here this day to sentence a crime. Not a crime of a weak and ignorant outsider, a mere blood-drinker, but one of us and our own! It is a dark day when as guardians of our race, we forsake our ancient rules, gloat on our misdeeds, and endanger our survival. One amongst us has committed this crime, and she has been sentenced severely for it! You see Jane who stands before you, once proud and noble, now like the diseased rats of the sewers, she is no better than the creatures who suckle them. What is her offense? You may well wonder! What villainy did she commit, and confess to? She stands before you a _**murderer**_, my friends! That she did knowingly, and with intent, take her a woman with child, and kill her!"

A low murmur sounded in the crowd, as those present whispered amongst one another. "That's against the law?!" Bella asked Demetri, astounded.

"Pregnant women are untouchable, Bella. Without them, our food supply would die. It is the natural order of things that must be maintained."

The chatter died, and Aro continued, his red eyes wrathful. "Jane's action has caused great concern. Her victim's face upon the television and newspaper, outcries and demands for her being found! During these times, we must fear talk and persecution. The secrecy of our true existence is paramount to maintaining our way of life. This is as it has been for centuries. Jane has endangered that existence, and for that she is sentenced to die."

Bella sat perfectly still, listening ardently to every word. She couldn't care less if Jane were sentenced to be drawn and quartered, but she felt the overwhelming sensation that there was more to this than Aro was yet telling. He had still made no mention of Jacob, who stood casually to the side, as though he were at a garden party and not an execution. He looked at her and winked, but she couldn't feel the comfort that he so obviously felt. He was human, and in a room filled with more than 30 vampires.

"However," Aro continued after a moment's pause, "it has come to our attention that the basis for her outrage was that of _**jealousy**_." He turned to look at Bella, casting her a gentle smile. "And perhaps there is justification to it. Therefore, due to her loyal service, and decades of devotion, it has been decided that the sentence of death shall be hereby stayed to that of a combat to the death."

The assembly erupted onto their feet with a thunderous roar, eager for the fight to begin, and the blood to be shed. Bella turned to Jacob, panicked, and for the first time, he saw the pure terror upon her face. Shrugging his shoulders, just as bewildered as she, he shook his head, mouthing the words to her, 'Not me'. It did little to calm the bursting fear within her. _Something's wrong! This isn't right! What's going on here?! _

"Last one standing is forgiven," Aro said, pleased with the glorious acclamation. "And her adversary..." Aro said, pointing to the door. It opened, and a stone-faced vampire entered the arena.

It was Edward.


	27. To The Death

**27. TO THE DEATH**

"_**EDWARD!**_" Bella screamed, jumping from her seat in uncontrollable thirst, and in five lightning-fast strides, leapt up into his hungry arms, wrapping her legs around his waist. She held him close in a crushing embrace, drinking his scent in, allowing it to close the wound their separation had caused. "You're here," she whispered, completely oblivious to the whispers and stares of the on-looking crowd. "You came for me."

"Bella," he said, as every lover should, and pulled her back to better examine her. Fervently gazing at her for the first time in eight months, his eyes could find no alteration, but that she had never looked more wonderful to him. "Firstly, I love you. I've always loved you, and I hope that you'll one day forgive me for being so unbelievably..."

She dove in, her ravenous lips finding their mark. They kissed with passionate longing for all the time they had been robbed of, and for a future they wanted even more. Holding onto each other as tightly as they could, they escaped for those few moments, and thought only of how they had yearned for this with aching need.

Aro gazed at the scene of unyielding affection with a torn heart. For one, true love was a rarity, and when found, one of the world's most wondrous treasures to gaze upon. Secondly, Edward was there for a purpose, and it could not be cast down now. His eyes turned away from the young lovers to the werewolf standing beside him.

Jacob shook with unbridled fury, but said nothing. His hands clenched into tight white fists, it took all Jacob's strength to harness the change he felt aching to burst forth. Once again, Edward won. Once again, no matter how long he abused or neglected her, she always went back to him. And Jacob knew she always would.

"Yes, it is a pity, young Jacob," Aro said, as though remarking on the weather, and not on his broken heart. "I, too, noticed that she did not greet you in quite the same fashion. During our talk earlier, you had me quite resolved to let her leave with you, and be happy. However, fortune may smile upon you yet. Not even I can erase the debt that must be paid. Should Edward die, you may walk out of Volterra with Bella still." Jacob turned to him, his black eyes murderous at everything and nothing in particular.

Reluctant as he was to break apart the happiest moment in a year, Edward had no choice. "Bella, there's not much time. There's something you have to know..."

"Enchanting!" Aro said, silencing both Edward and the gossiping audience. "To gaze at you, so filled with love and vitality, it does make one feel young again!"

Setting her feet on the floor, Bella turned to Aro, now filled with shattering apprehension. Both hands tightly gripped on Edward's body; Bella wasn't going to let him go without a fight.

"But, duty must come first, my dear Bella." Aro turned back to his ardent listeners, and said, "You see, dearest brethren, young Edward here likewise has a debt to pay. Once having scorned against her himself, and now Jane, also against our Bella, it seems only just to settle each obligation together. Equally blessed with unique gifts, I believe this will be a fair fight."

Steadying his nerve, for he had experienced Jane's gift before, Edward said, "Just so there's no mistake, last one standing gets to leave free and clear?"

"That is correct, young Edward," Aro confirmed. "I beg you both to prepare." Aro glided from the stage and up the stairs to take his seat while Jacob, feeling thoroughly sick and homicidal, was unsure of whether he should just kill Edward himself and save this 'Jane' the trouble. He leaned against the massive door, the blood-thirsty vampires now paying him no further attention. Even Bella had not thought of him since her champion Edward had arrived.

Horrified and disbelieving of what was about to occur, all Bella could do was throw Edward a desperate look and say, "Edward, no!"

But he had no choice, and he knew it. He sighed, his own heart breaking, and glanced over at Demetri, motioning him forward. "Can I trust you?" he begged, once Demetri was at his side.

"Of course," Demetri replied, feeling a newfound respect for Edward. He had only met him twice before, and at the time, wondered what would drive someone so off the edge as to want to sacrifice their own existence. Now, he understood the reason, and it was no wonder. It was love.

"It's going to get pretty nasty," Edward said so hyper-fast, no human would have heard him. "But no matter what happens, I need you to hold Bella back."

"Edward!" Bella called, tugging on his clothes, trying to drill some sense into him, so that he could someway stop what was happening. He didn't listen.

"If I should be killed, I want you to take Bella to my sister in Forks, Washington, do you understand? Here's my phone," he said, pulling it from his pocket. It was vibrating madly, and had been for several minutes. No doubt Alice saw his near future, and was going completely mental. "Call anyone on the list, and they'll help you. Can I trust you to do this?"

"Edward, NO!" Bella screamed like an impatient child, unwilling to accept what was transpiring.

"CAN I TRUST YOU?!" Edward repeated to Demetri, while his arms grabbed Bella in one last embrace.

"Absolutely," Demetri replied, and watched in heart-wrenching dismay while the lovers shared their last moment together.

"Listen to me, Bella," he said, holding her trembling face in his hands. "I cannot stop this, do you understand? A debt is owed, and a debt must be paid. But I swear to God," he said, his voice breaking, "I'll try my best to win, alright? You are my entire world, and there isn't anything I wouldn't do for you. You know that, right? I love you, Bella. More than anything in this world, I love you. And no matter what happens here, I always will. Do you hear me?"

Bella nodded, "I love you too. I always have. Nothing could ever change that. Nothing ever has."

He kissed her on the lips, pulling her close one last time. Wishing that time would for once simply slow to a still and that he could live in that moment forever, he breathed deeply her scent, wanting nothing more than to drown in it. But he was on a deadline, and the mob grew ever more impatient for their bloodbath.

Demetri began to pull her away, and despite her strong grip, she was no match for both Edward and Demetri. "Thank you," Edward said as Demetri pulled the near-hysterical Bella to the stands.

Taking in a few deep breaths, Edward tried to close his mind to Bella, and focus on the task at hand. Jane was a formidable foe. He had been under her thumb before, and had tasted her dark furies. In all honesty, he didn't believe his odds were very good. Jane was simply too fast. His best shot would be to get his hands on her before she had a chance to lock her mind on him. If he could do that, he just might have a chance. If not, he knew she would kill him without mercy or regret.

"Ready yourselves, Champions," Aro called, and Edward turned to Jane, who looked so calm and peaceful, as though she did not have a care in the world. She stood facing toward him, her eyes cast downward, as still as a statue.

"Aaaannd commence!"

Edward was fast, yet not faster than Jane's eyes. Her eyelashes fluttered to him, and as though in slow motion, he lunged toward her, and suddenly dropped like a stone, crumbling the marble mosaic beneath him, writhing in agony. Jane, however, had not moved an inch. Her menacing eyes bore down on him, a smile curling on her lips, and she threw at him every ounce of pain she could fathom. Inside him, his bones were breaking, his blood was on fire, and Bella spat in his face. He was hounded with gruesome visual nightmares as well as physical torture, and he could do naught but twist and scream in utter agony.

Bella wailed, but could not be heard over the howling mob. They all stood on their feet, arms waiving in the air, thirsty for pain, torture, and death. Demetri held on fast to Bella's shoulders, as disgusted with the scene as he was with the Brethren.

Jane stepped forward to Edward, her child-like hands reaching down for his trembling head. It would be quick; quicker than she would like for Bella to witness, but the crowd longed for her to do it, and so she would humbly oblige.

Suddenly, a series of events happened in a moment's time. Jane had just appeared to grasp Edward's head when a snarl echoed throughout the room, and an explosion of fabric filled the air. The next second, Jane was on the floor, her neck firmly clenched in the jaws of a massive wolf. Jane, it seemed, tried to then turn her power onto Jacob, who in turn only bit harder. In the end, she succumbed, helpless to her impending decapitation.

Edward rose up, as though snapping out of a nightmare, and not the agony of torture. He turned to Aro, who sat pensively in his chair, a bemused smile upon his face and began to clap his hands, as though he had just seen a splendid reading of Macbeth, and not a near-execution. "Enough!" he called, rising from his seat, and holding out his hand for his brothers. They each touched him, and again he smiled, drifting down the steps to where Jacob still stood, Jane in his inescapable grasp.

"Enough, young Jacob," he called, who finally let loose his prey. Jane lay trembling on the floor, never looking more like a child than in that moment. Aro's eyes met hers, and he offered her his hand, helping her rise. That also offered him the ability to see into her mind, which brought further confirmation still.

"Friends, this meeting is adjourned," he called to the masses, and with grumbling disappointment, they began to file out, remarking on the show as they went. The royal family, however, remained seated, and when at last the room was empty but for Demetri, Bella, and those involved, Aro continued. "It is a pity regarding your clothes, young Jacob. Does it do that always? How troublesome! Ah, Demetri! Your cloak, if you please." Demetri willingly obliged, and casting it over the wolf, Jacob shot up, much like a magical tree springing from the ground.

"Impressive," Aro said, fascinated by this new ability. "Most impressive. Ah, well. Do we not have a peculiar situation? What a tangle! Jane, I shall ask that you wait in my chambers, and we shall then discuss what is to be done with you."

"Yes, Master," Jane replied, bowing worshipfully before striding out as though nothing out of the ordinary had just happened.

"Yes, this is more intimate. But for you, Demetri. You are no longer required."

"As you wish, Master," Demetri said bowing, though not as low as Jane's had been. He shot a pregnant glance at Bella, and then strode out.

"That is better. Now, my children, what is to be done? We certainly have a quandary, do we not? What am I to do with you? Edward, I must admit I was amazed at your tenacity. Most present would have simply crumbled under such pressure, Jane's forte being what it is. Yet, you did not, choosing instead to fight. A rare quality, nobility is. I would offer for you to stay and join our family, but something tells me that you intend to take Bella elsewhere. Is this correct?"

"With your permission, of course, Aro," Edward said, not daring to breathe, for fear of his hopes being dashed.

"Of course, of course," Aro replied with a casual dismissive wave of his hand. He turned to Bella, who stared at him with brimming gratitude. "Yes, my dear. I may be old, but I am still wise. I sensed you were not peaceful here, that your heart lie elsewhere. Then you must follow your heart, my dear, and be happy." He turned again to Edward, the grand-fatherly air about him vanishing. "This is the second time I have bestowed upon you your heart's desire, my dear Edward. I cannot press upon you how I shan't do so again. You will take care of her, will you not? Bella is a rarity. In my two thousand years, I have not come across her likeness. Unless you desire my displeasure, treat her as though she owns you, for if she has your heart, then she surely does."

"I will of course, Aro," Edward replied, grasping his love's hand with his own, meaning every word. "I promise."

"Good, good," Aro said absent mindedly, staring at Bella. "Well, this is to be farewell, my dear, for the present, for you both must return and visit. Neither of you have seen Volterra in June! Now, my dears, that truly is a wonder!"

Overcome with his kindness, Bella stepped forward, wrapping her arms around the taken-aback Aro. "Thank you so much, Aro! I can never thank you enough!"

"Eternity is a long time, my dear, even to give thanks. And this will not be your last visit to Volterra, I am certain. For now, we say arrivederci."

Bella and Edward smiled, and moved to turn away when suddenly Bella stopped. "Jacob?" she said, noticing that he had neither moved nor said anything in a long time. He had made no motion to join them. He simply stood apart from them, staring at the wall, never looking at her. "Jacob?" she repeated again, stepping nearer. "Aren't you coming?"

"Ah, yes. That reminds me," Aro said, turning to the glowering Jacob, naked under his grey cloak. "I wish to extend the invitation of staying to you as well, my dear Jacob. You have very extraordinary talents that I have never before witnessed! We can offer you much, I believe you'll find. You may come and go as you choose, make our villa your home, and explore all that we have to teach you."

"What would I be doing, exactly?" Jacob asked, his voice deeper than usual. Darker, more sinister.

"Well, what interests you?"

"I like to kill vampires," Jacob replied tartly.

"I believe that can arranged," Aro replied, as though he were offering benefits to a job applicant, and not murder.

"Sounds good to me," Jacob replied, much to the horror of Bella.

"Jacob, what are you talking about?" she cried, stepping to where he could no longer avoid her gaze. "Come home! Come back with us!"

"No, Bella."

"But...why?"

"Because you can't have it both ways. You can't have him _**and**_ me. You always knew you'd have to choose. I was an idiot to think that it would ever be me. But, fine. It's him. But, that doesn't mean that you get me too. It doesn't work that way. I will never forgive you for this, Bella. I can never forget the years I have wasted on you. Now, get out of my sight."

There was nothing Bella could think of to say. It felt as though Jacob had stabbed her in the heart, slapped her across the face, and spat at her all in the same moment. And yet, she felt she deserved it. Here she was, once again with Edward, and Jacob cast aside. She couldn't blame him in the slightest for hating her. Knowing she had hurt him so, she hated herself even more.

Edward tugged on her arm, and she followed him, yet in a daze. Her heart still stinging from Jacob's venomous reproach.

"One moment," Caius called from above, as he rose from his throne. "A reminder, Edward, that your debt has yet to be paid. You did not do what was asked of you, and we still consider your obligation owing. The time will come again when you will be asked to fulfill it. This you must do, or face the unfavorable consequences. Is that understood?"

Bella's heart sank in her chest. This wasn't over. Would it ever be?

"I understand," Edward said, knowing in his heart that it had been all too easy. Hand in hand, they escaped the room, and like convicts being let loose from prison, fled the enclosing walls with a mounting sense of freedom. The baffled guards at the door did not try to stop them. The escaping pair burst outside into the fresh air free from their chains for the first time in months.

Edward's car was parked out front, and in a flash, they were gone, driving out of Volterra, far past the city, and to Florence's airport.

They were fortunate that the day was overcast, and plane tickets now in hand, they stood in the busy terminal neath the glass ceiling, their arms wrapped around each other, unconscious of the people swirling around them. Standing with eyes closed, they fixed their senses on the other, taking in the other's scent, breath, touch, and the magnificent sensation of having their bodies pressed against one another. Both reveled in the feeling that heaven, when it wanted to be, was most assuredly close enough to touch.

"Edward. Bella," a voice said, waking them from their intimate reverie. Their eyes opened to see Demetri standing with them, wearing not Volturi clothes, but dark blue jeans, and a black t-shirt. "Here's your phone, by the way. I answered it in the end; couldn't stand the buzzing anymore. Your sister sounds nice."

"Thanks," Edward said, pocketing the phone. "Did you tell her we're on our way?"

"Yeah, I meant to catch you, but you were out of there faster than I expected. I hate to ask this, but...mind if I tag along?"

Edward, taken aback, looked at him closely, and for the first time, noticed his golden, caramel eyes. Snapping from Demetri's face to Bella's, he smiled upon seeing her eyes, equally as pure. "You're most welcome to," he said, extending his hand which Demetri gratefully shook.

"Demetri took really good care of me at Volterra," Bella said, desirous to repay as much kindness as he had bestowed upon her. "He always found me the yummiest goats in Italy."

"Goats?!" Edward repeated sarcastically. "Oh, you _**have**_ been suffering! But, I am grateful, Demetri. And I'll not forget it."

Just then, the boarding call was announced for their flight, and not wishing to delay any longer, they boarded the flight for home.


	28. Hellos and Goodbyes

**28. HELLOS AND GOODBYES**

Despite the awkward confines of the airplane seats, Bella curled onto Edward's chest, her face not wanting to be separated from the sensation of being next to him. It felt so right, feeling him beneath her, stroking her hair. If only she could make it stay this way forever...

Suddenly, a thought appeared into her head, that made her head pop up. "How did you get my passport?"

"I took it from your drawer."

"In Forks?"

"Yeah."

"I thought you were gone."

"Not me, Bella."

"What?"

"I never left. Hey, how did you know Carlisle and them had gone?"

"Jacob told me."

"Oh," Edward said darkly. "Jacob. And you thought I left too?"

"Yeah," she replied shrugging. What else was she to think?

"I didn't, Bella. I only left the house to eat, and even then, it was never empty. One of the others babysitting me always stayed behind."

"Why?"

"Why were they babysitting me, or why did I never leave?"

"Never leave."

"A precaution. Just in case."

"In case of what?"

"In case...you came home."

Bella smiled, her lips trembling. It felt so nice to be missed by him. To know that he had wanted her...was waiting for her. She kissed him, smiling. "You missed me?"

"God! 'Missed' is putting it mildly, Bella. But for all intents and purposes, I missed you...A LOT. So much so, I nearly drove Rosalie insane with my moping about. I couldn't compose, play the piano, didn't have any interest in my books...nothing. I kept coming up with all these desperate, wild schemes to get you back. The craziest one involving a helicopter, a monkey, and a really big balloon."

Bella laughed, and Edward sighed just listening to her. _What a complete and utter idiot I've been! Why in the name of everything Holy would I ever willingly leave this girl? Never again.. _"What about you? Did you miss me?"

"Oh, so much!" she said, shaking her head, as the memories of all two hundred and five days rushed over her. "There wasn't a moment I wasn't praying for you to come."

A sharp pang resounded in his heart. Her words, though gently spoken, had a stabbing effect to his heart. "You know I would've if I'd been able to," he said, looking nearly as guilty as he felt. After all, Jacob had gone. "I should've followed you that same day."

"No, Edward. Aro wouldn't have liked it. I don't know why, but it was like he had been testing me for something...preparing me. You would have certainly been a distraction."

"Preparing you? For what?" His eyes narrowed, cautiously.

"I don't know. I could be wrong. It just felt that way."

"Hmm. We'll have to ask Demetri. Speaking of which, wonder how he's holding up back there in coach..." Edward couldn't help but smile. It figured that there was only one seat available on the plane, and it was a middle seat.

"Oh, poor Demetri."

"How 'strong' is he? Do you think he'll be tempted back there?"

Bella shook her head. "He's a tough one, who's been well-trained on when to bite, and when not to. He's been around humans enough to have self-control. I can switch seats with him, though, if you think he'd be a problem..."

"Oh, no you don't!" Edward said, grabbing her and pulling her close. "He can ravage the entire section for all I care. I'm not letting you go. Not now, not ever."

Smiling, Bella said, "Just what I wanted to hear."

They began a lengthy kissing session, and the passing attendant wondered how it was the rich, gorgeous people who always seemed to have everything. No problems, no cares._ No fair..._ she thought miserably to herself, as she walked by.

If she had only known the truth...

The sky turned dark outside, and as the others watched movies or slept, Bella and Edward enjoyed the time spent doing nothing but holding each other, relishing every moment. Bella was left to let her mind wander, reaching into the depths of her soul. _I am here. He is here. It's all good. No more past, no more heartache. All gone. This will be my forever, I know it. This is how my eternity will be spent. Wrapped in his arms, forever. There's nowhere that I'd rather be. I won't return to the days filled with fear and anguish, wondering whether he'll ever come back. _But as she thought the words, she could not help but wonder... "You won't ever leave me again, right?" she asked, her voice soft, like a child's.

Edward reacted swiftly, turning, and grasping her head so that he could stare deeply into her eyes. In his own, there was nothing but contrition. He knew there was no promise he could make to her that she would believe without a doubt. There would always be doubt. He would have to _**earn**_ her trust. "I know I don't have the best track record, Bella. And that there's no vow out there that you won't, don't deserve, to question. I don't know what to say other than only death would now separate me from you now. There are no if's, and's, or but's in that equation. I don't expect you to believe me, or even trust me. Frankly, I don't deserve it. All I can say is that...I've learned from my mistakes, and now realize that my life's much better with you in it."

She smiled. There was no doubt he meant those words. Contrite as he was, there was still one unanswered question. One thing that had consumed her thoughts many lonely nights.

She hardly dared ask it now. There was not a doubt in her mind that merely bringing it up would cast him back into a dark chasm of regret. Yet, she could not move forward always wondering, but never knowing for certain. As much as she didn't want to hurt him, she simply had to know the truth.

"Edward," she said softly, her voice filled with apprehension. "Why did you do it?"

"Pardon?" he gasped, his breathing immediately stopping, and a frightened shadow sweeping across his face.

"Why did you...leave that day? You bit me and left. Why?"

Blinking, she stared in trembling trepidation as his face, so open with his feelings, changed before her very eyes. At first his mouth merely opened, as though he were going to speak. Then, it closed, as did his eyes, and his beautiful face contorted as if in agonizing pain. Bella had been right. The remorse was palpable.

"There's no excuse..." he said no more than a whisper. "Not a day's gone by that I haven't regretted it."

Bella waited, but as to his reason, he still seemed reluctant to speak it. "But..._**why**_?"

He sighed, knowing there was no escape this time. Whether stuck on a plane or free on the ground, she deserved to know the truth. "You love Charlie, right?"

"What?" she asked, suddenly confused. What the hell was he talking about?

"Charlie. You love him, right?"

"Yes..." she replied, unsure of where he was leading her.

"He means a lot to you, doesn't he? He loves you. You two have a strong connection. If his life were in danger, there's nothing you wouldn't do to save him, is there?"

Bella blinked. What was the meaning of all of this? She felt enough guilt toward Charlie as it was! "Of course."

"Alright," he said, nodding his head. "Now, let's say for argument's sake that because of something you did, Charlie isn't Charlie anymore. You hurt him so badly that he can't ever love you again. He gives you up. Washes his hands of you. Casts you out as his daughter..."

"Do you know something I don't?" she asked, her face full of apprehension.

"Sorry. Just...hypothetical."

"Oh!" she replied, much relieved. Although inwardly, it gave her a lot to think about...later. "Um...I guess if I hurt Charlie that badly, I'd feel pretty horrible."

"Horrible enough to leave because you couldn't forgive yourself?"

He stared at her, and she understood. The fear of her condemnation had been too strong. Too painful. If she had been in his shoes, if their roles had been reversed, what would she have done? Would she have run, or would she have stayed? In all honesty, she didn't know. "You were that scared that I would hate you for changing me? Edward, I _**wanted**_ this. Remember?"

"And is it as you expected it would be?"

How to reply? What to say that would keep him there? How _**not**_ to lie? "Well, no, not exactly..."

"It is yet more proof that I don't deserve you. That you would be better off without me."

A wave of panic shot through Bella as though she had been brutally struck with a needle. Her eyes opened in horror, but he was quick to pull her close. "I'm not leaving. I'm not giving you up," he quickly assured her. "Trust me, Bella. I'm far too selfish to do what's best for you."

"So..." she said after several minutes of him holding her tightly, "you're not leaving me again, right?"

"Correct. Most assuredly will not. I already knew I was an idiot; Emmett has since reminded me often enough. The decision I made to leave that day was only further proof of how unbelievably moronic I can truly be... I'd say I'm only human, but it'd be a lie..."

Smiling at his honesty, she tenderly stroked his face, and believed. His words had been honest, and that only time and steadfastness could erase the bitter memories of the past. But now, a bright and clear future ahead of them, she didn't let it cloud her joy. Edward loved her, and that was all that mattered. "What took you so long...to come to me?" she asked softly, not wishing to cause any more guilt than she knew he was prone to inflicting on himself, but she needed to know.

"I wanted to come, Bella," he replied, unable to hide his suffering. "I just couldn't risk putting you in any danger. If I got too close... What would you have done if you heard I was in the city?"

"I would've gone to you."

"Just like that."

"Just like that," she repeated.

"Don't you realize how dangerous that would've been?"

"Yes. And that's why I understand why you stayed away. Trying to protect me...again."

"I'm sorry," he said, closing his eyes, leaning his head on hers.

"No, it's okay. This time was...different. I knew you loved me, somehow. It...kept me strong."

Several minutes passed in which neither said anything. They merely held each other, savoring in the thought that there was no more division between them. No confusion or doubt. Only love.

But something nagged at Edward. This was to be a new beginning, and if so, she must know all. "I got a phone call yesterday."

She sat up, curious, but her hands never left him. "From whom?"

"Gianna."

"What did she say?"

"I was...summoned, Bella, to Volterra. Told that Aro wished to see me to...fulfill my obligation."

"Did you know you'd be fighting Jane?" she asked, thinking of all the anxiety he must have suffered.

"Not until I got there. No, I only knew I was going to you." He smiled warmly, tucking a loose strand of her hair behind her ear. "I couldn't have cared less about what the price I had to pay was. I didn't think about it at all, actually, the entire trip. All I thought about...was you. Hoping you could forgive me. And then I saw you, and..." he swallowed, appearing overcome, "you looked so beautiful."

Smiling, she could not help but stroke his beautiful face with her hands, feeling the silky perfection neath her fingertips. "Silly."

"No," he said, shaking his head, his eyes never leaving hers. "Right. For once, I was absolutely right."

The last two hours passed in which neither moved nor spoke. There were 263 people on the plane, but it might as well have been empty for the amount of notice they paid to everyone else. They were an island, untouched by the outside world for that space of time. Alone in a guileless sea, adrift and loving every moment of it.

The plane landed in Seattle, and they met a disgruntled Demetri as they trudged through the airport. "How was your flight, Demetri?" Bella asked, seeing that he looked quite harassed.

"The child next to me threw up all over my new Versace jeans, the lady to my right had a nasty, phlegm-filled cough, and as we were right beside the bathrooms, it did not escape my notice that the toilet was overflowing!"

Both Bella and Edward cringed, not daring telling him of the blissful flight they'd had. "At least you didn't bite anyone," Edward added, trying to clear the poor fellow up.

"There was little danger of that," Demetri said darkly, "while I was covered in vomit!"

"Made you miss the private jet at all?" Bella said, nodding sympathetically, unlike Edward who was in serous danger of snorting.

"You have no idea," Demetri said, eyeing the people passing as though they were in fact enormous, diseased amebas.

"Well," Edward said, overcoming his sniggers, "we have no luggage to wait for, and so can just leave. My car's in the parking lot. And just so you know, I like to drive fast."

"Fast is good," Demetri said, feeling minutely better.

Bella had never been so happy to see a car before in her life. But there it was, the sleek, silver Volvo, sleeping, yet rearing to go. They climbed in, Demetri's eyes excitedly scanning every detail. "How fast she take you?"

"290 with a tailwind," Edward replied. "My sister Rosalie's awesome with cars, and made a few modifications. You've got your RS4 grille, carbon hood, Ohlins remote reservoir, and MSP2 tires."

"Sweet," Demetri said, nodding his head.

_Boys and their toys_, Bella thought, shaking her head, grateful once the warm purr of the engine had started. The car-speak continued all the way into Port Angeles, but Bella didn't mind. It gave her the opportunity to gaze in amazement at all the familiar scenes that she had been longing to see. It was all still there, more or less exactly the same as it had been before she had left, as though none of it had ever happened.

"But, you're wrong!" Demetri sounded from the back, banging his fist off the leather seat in front of him. "The Audi TT Roadster was by far better in 2008, as opposed to the 09 model."

"No way. You're crazy," Edward said, emphatically shaking his head while speeding down the road like a maniac, as usual.

"Ugh. There's no convincing you," Demetri exclaimed in the end, ending the conversation. He had obviously met Edward's confident, 'I'm right, and you're all wrong' side.

Silence ensued for a few minutes, and Edward's hand crept over to Bella's. They held hands there, interlacing their fingers, enjoying a rapturous moment just touching one another. "Do you recognize where we are?" he asked, turning to her.

"Yeah," she said, anticipating the turn ahead. He swung a sharp right, and drove up the dirt road through the forest. Suddenly, like a beacon through a mist of green, the white Cullen house appeared. Not bothering to park in the garage, Edward pulled up out front, and in a flash, the front door was open.

Bella stepped out of the car, and at once was assailed by a spirited Alice, who wrapped her arms around her saying, "Oh my God, Bella! I was so worried! Because I _**saw**_, you know, and knew I couldn't do anything. And, all of a sudden, it became all foggy, and I couldn't see how it ended..."

"It's okay," Bella said once Alice had let go of her. "We're all okay, Alice. No worse for wear, anyway."

The clan gathered together, exchanging hugs, and handshakes with Demetri. Emmett and he simply nodded, sizing each other up. "I'm Emmett, and this is my wife Rosalie. So, you're Volturi, huh? Are you here to guard Bella, or..."

"He's one of us," Bella said, surprising everyone present. "He's a vegetarian, too."

"Converted you, eh?" Emmett said, impressed. "Wow. How did they all like that, back in Volterra?"

"Not well," Demetri admitted, "but I can hold my own."

Grinning, Emmett said, "Oh, he's one of us, alright. Good call, Bella! Happy to have you home, kid!" he said, sweeping her up into a massive bear hug.

"Bella!" Esme whispered, her turn to pull her close. "I knew you'd come back."

"I never wanted to leave. Well, that's not exactly true, but..."

"I know," Esme said, maternally stroking her face. "I understand, Bella. But I hope you both sorted it all out, and that you'll stay?" She shot an anxious glance at Edward, but Bella was quick to quash her fears. "Neither of us are going anywhere without the other. Let's put it that way."

"Oh!" Esme said, relieved. "That does make me happy!" She embraced Bella again, and then moved onward to Demetri. "Demetri!" she said, pulling him down. "You are most welcome in our home! I'm sure you'd like to talk to Carlisle about our way of life, and where it all began."

Demetri was dumbfounded. A lifetime of soldiering in one army or another had left him thick-skinned. Even as a human, he had never been a part of a family, and it felt strange to be so welcomed into such a warm, almost human, family. Something inside of him ignited, as though he had recovered a piece of himself that he had long believed was lost. "Indeed, I would," he said, shaking hands with Carlisle.

"Come with me, then, Demetri. Please forgive our lack of furnishings. There is a bare minimum here, as we have since moved house." Demetri followed Carlisle, all the while in silent awe at how they lived, and were with each other.

"Bella," Jasper said, giving her a quick hug. "How did the Volturi treat you?"

_Ah, Jasper,_ Bella thought. _Ever the strategist. He would deal with Demetri very well._ "Very kindly, actually. They were open to my eating habits, taught me a great deal, and gave me quite a bit of freedom."

"Well, it's just as well you returned," Rosalie said, her face appearing terse, but not hateful. "Edward's brooding was becoming unbearable."

Bella was shocked. That was the kindest Rosalie had been to her since she couldn't remember when... Perhaps there was hope yet that they could be friends. "Thank you, Rosalie. I'm very grateful to be back. This is where I belong." Bella cast Edward a meaningful look, which he was more than happy to return.

Emmett rolled his eyes, and felt slightly nauseated. "We're all gonna take off, Bro. No doubt you two have 'catching up' to do," he said, making quotation marks with his fingers. "Now, don't go wandering off, Bella, or go jumping on any planes, alright? You need to stay put!"

"Okay," Bella said, smiling.

Even Rose's stoic face, she noticed, cracked a brief smile. They waved their goodbyes, and climbed into their two cars, pulling away.

"Won't Carlisle and Esme wonder where they've gone?" Bella asked, confused by their brief greeting, and hasty goodbye.

"No doubt Alice is at this moment calling them, telling them to get out."

"Poor Demetri. Off to Sweet Home tonight?"

"Hell yeah, I'm giving him the boot. I want you all to myself tonight, and that means no eavesdroppers."

"I like the sound of that," Bella said, her body warming at the thought of at last being alone with him. _I wonder if his bed is still upstairs..._

Edward stepped close, felling the heat coarse through his body as well, only to shake it off, and recompose himself. "First things first, and that's to get you alone!" He took her hand, marching into the house, just as Carlisle, Esme, and Demetri were heading down the stairs.

"Don't worry, Edward," Carlisle said, having received Alice's insistent phone call. No doubt she had seen what hanky-panky they would be up to later. "We're taking Demetri up to Sweet Home tonight. When do you think you'll be joining us?"

Edward furrowed his brow, and turned to Bella. "Two...three...weeks, I think."

"So long?" Esme said, longing to have all six, no..._**seven**_ children under the same roof for more than a few minutes at a time.

"Call it an impromptu sabbatical," Edward said, quashing any arguments that Esme could counter him with. "No worries. We're just a phone call away."

When Carlisle, Esme, and Demetri had at last moved on their way, Edward shut the front door. They were finally completely alone. Edward and Bella stood awkwardly in the livingroom, suddenly feeling strangely shy. They knew what was coming, and both eagerly desired it, but their previous love-making had been in the dark, impulsive, and exceedingly dangerous.

They glanced demurely at each other, neither one wanting to be the instigator. In the end, Bella stepped forward, and without a word, slowly began to ascend the stairs. Edward was directly behind her, silently taking her hand. At the top of the stairs, his other hand slowly slid from her neck down her arm, as they walked to his bedroom. It was all there, the only room in the house completely intact.

He pulled her hair aside as she stood gazing inside, exposing her pale neck. Tracing its curve with his fingers, she felt a ripple of yearning echo through her entire body. She moaned softly as the electricity of his fingertips contacted with her bare skin. But it was not enough. He wanted to touch more of her. Pulling her shirt to expose her bare shoulder, he leaned down, kissing it, breathing deeply in her scent. The softness of her skin, mixed with the intoxicant of her aroma only made him crave her more, and she turned around, unable to resist his lips any longer. Their hands reached for the other's face, pulling them close, each touching the flawlessness neath their fingertips. Exhaling deeply, their breaths rebounded, creating a halo of desire. She pulled away, grabbing at his shirt, and with a gentle tug, ripped the shirt up the middle, exposing his firm, rippled chest. She pulled the torn shirt off his arms, exhibiting the perfection in daylight. With curious eyes she gazed over his body, watching his chest heaving with each intake of breath. Her curious hands explored over his naked skin, and down his muscular arms, feeling nothing but warm steel beneath her fingers. Her hands rose up to his cheeks, only to slowly trail downward, over his torso, stopping at his waist.

He trembled at she nervously unbuttoned his jeans, unzipping the fly. She stood still a moment, unsure of what to do next, and their eyes met, and he could control his urge no longer. In a swooping motion, he picked her up, and assailed the bed, masterfully landing on top of her. He stroked her soft cheek with the back of his hand, just as he had always done, and at last their lips came together. They pressed down forcefully, feeling the imploring need to be even closer still. Bella opened her mouth, sending a seismic wave through Edward by means of her tongue. Like a static shock, it touched his own, exciting him even more.

He sat up, his face serious, and impassioned with insatiable yearning to be inside of her. Brushing her tender lips with his thumb, he explored her femininity over her shirt, his inquisitive hands caressing every curve. In a deliberate, languid motion, he slowly began unbuttoning her blouse, drawing out the event as long as possible. She trembled in anxious anticipation, to have him see her naked in the light of day. There would be no escaping it now, not that she wanted to. She needed to feel him as closely as she did that first and only night, as close as two people can be.

The last of her shirt unbuttoned, he spread it open, and blinked at the sight underneath. For some reason, he had not anticipated a bra. "Hmph. This poses an interesting problem," he said, searching for the clasp. "Just _**how do**_ you get these things undone?"

Bella giggled at his innocence. Despite being sorely tempted to try to have him figure it out himself, the threat of him merely tearing it off her proved too point of fact. It was, after all, her only bra. "It's right at the front," she said, expertly unclasping it, leaving a bare space in between her breasts. "Ooh!" he said, falling back into raptures at this new piece of flesh exposed for the first time. He trailed a lonely finger down its centre to her belly button, and then with both hands, glided back up her torso, sweeping away the scanty bits of fabric covering her.

Her breathing deepened as his smooth hands ran over her silken breasts, and down to her waist. He met no resistence as he loosened her jeans, and grasping the waist, tugged them down to her knees, savouring watching her nakedness slowly unveil. Tossing her jeans upon the floor, he focused now his attentions on her creamy, white legs. Her eyes closed, she delighted as his kisses began at her toes, only to climb up her leg, and toward her inner thigh. Moaning outwardly, she could not contain the sensual pleasure of his teasing touch, and gentle lovemaking. Pert as always, he grasped her panties with his teeth, pulling them down, leaving her naked and exposed upon the bed. He now gazed at her, the model of female godliness before his eyes, and at once wished he were an artist, and could capture her beauty, her soul, on paper. "You're beautiful, Bella. To look at you...I'm humbled."

Never believing herself to be the cause for adoration, Bella sat up, letting loose the last of her shirt. Smiling, she stroked his perfect face, and whispered, "Come closer."

Nothing could have prevented him from obeying. At once, he brought his lips down on hers, and together, arms wrapped around each other, they fell side by side, Edward wriggling out of his tight jeans. The deed finally achieved, Bella pulled away, her turn to explore. He leaned back, abashed by his body's obvious display of desire.

For Bella, she now gazed at the naked male form in awe. Once believed the organ to be ugly and grotesque, she had never before seen Edward naked. Perfectly shaped, and of considerable size, the mere sight of it instilled a primal desire in her. With a nervous hand, she grasped it, feeling the hardness neath her fingers, while stroking the shaft. Edward succumbed to a flurry of moans, surrendering to the pleasure her warm hand gave.

Unable to yield any longer, he rose in a flash, tucking her neath him. Instinctively, her legs spread, and he found his home, there in between her thighs. Face to face, eyes open to fiery passion and need, he entered her. She gasped with a sharp intake of breath, feeling him swell inside of her like the rising sea, only to withdraw again. Their hands clasped together, and bodies rocking as one, they moved with single purpose. She let go to only grasp his shoulders, feeling his tense muscles contract with every push into her. Moving her hand up to his face, their breath increasing the bliss of the rise and fall, their lips barely touched, and with each graze, he sank in harder and deeper until she cried out in ecstacy. Then, all of a sudden deep inside her, she felt him grow harder still, and with furious speed and skill, exploded into her.

He collapsed on her, glowing and fragrant, and their bodies became an intertwinement of legs and arms. Smiling at one another, their hands were free to explore and caress, grateful just to touch and be touched.

"Did I hurt you?" Edward asked, his brow furrowed.

"No," she replied, smiling. "That was a good kind of scream."

"A good scream?" he repeated incredulously, wondering if she was merely trying to keep him from worrying.

"Yeah. I'm no expert, but I believe what I experienced is supposed to happen."

Edward smiled his cocky grin, grateful that he had been able to pleasure her.

"Edward?"

"Yes, Bella, my love?"

She gazed at him, either unable or unwilling to continue, struggling against an old adversary. "I hate to possibly ruin a perfectly beautiful moment, but I was thinking... Would you consider...marrying me?"

"What?!" Edward replied.

"I'd been doing a lot of thinking, and..."

But Edward cut her off with a kiss. He didn't need to know the reason. This meant trust, which meant forever. "Yes, my darling," he said, so filled with love and joy he could barely contain it. "Yes, I most assuredly do want to marry you."

Bella smiled, confident that this decision was at last the right one. It had taken a lot to arrive there, but upon finally reaching the destination, Bella knew it was where she wanted to stay.


	29. Crossroads

**29. CROSSROADS**

For three weeks, Edward and Bella spent their existence never leaving one another's side. They had the felicity of hunting together for the first time, for which Edward had some tips to share. It had been a long time since Bella had hunted, and not had take-out. He could not help but be proud of her the first time he saw her take down a mountain lion, saying, "That's my girl."

However, when not eating, the majority of time was spent in Edward's bedroom. They had a great many months of loneliness and despair to make up for. At first it struck Bella that vampires must be insatiable, as they did not sleep, and there was an entire night to fill. And although lovemaking did make up a fair percentage of their time, Edward also played long into the night for her at the piano, or read to her from his expansive collection of classical books. She already knew the stories practically by heart, but thrilled just to hear his voice.

The last two days were mostly spent packing, and watching the human movers take out the last of the belongings. Try as she might, Bella could not help but look upon this change with apprehension. This was to be her first move with Edward's family, where she would live permanently. As yet, Edward and she had not discussed plans for the future, and during this time while on vacation, she didn't want to think of it.

But now, the holiday over, reality set in. She would have gladly accepted whatever they proposed as long as she was with Edward. She didn't care. An eternity of high school? No problem, so long as Edward could always be her lab partner. That thought made her smile, thinking back to Mr. Banner's class, and how different it would be with both of them willingly accepting monotony as the price to pay for the style of life they wanted: a semi-human existence where they weren't the things that went bump in the night.

"Well," Edward said as the moving van drove away, "are you about ready to leave?"

She turned to him, feeling anxious. "Not yet, Edward. Before we leave, there's something I've got to do."

"Oh? What's that?" he asked, turning on his bedroom eyes, and smiling his crooked grin.

"Not that!" she said, laughing and giving him a playful smack. Sighing deeply, she said, "I need to see Charlie."

All impishness cast aside, Edward replied, "I don't think that's such a good idea, Bella. You don't look the same as you used to, and it's not just your eyes."

"I didn't say _**he**_ needed to see _**me**_. I said _**I**_ needed to see _**him**_."

There was no hiding that he didn't like the idea. It was not a question of her self-control. It was evident from watching her on the small confines of the plane that the Volturi had taught her a great deal. He was merely hung up over the details that could go wrong. What if Charlie saw her? What if she made a mistake? There was just too many variables, but as he saw the determination on her face, he knew he could give no argument that would deter her. "Alright, but I go with you."

"No way," she said resolutely. "He's _**my**_ dad, Edward, and I haven't seen him in months. I get to do this alone. Have some faith in me."

"I _**do**_ have faith in you," he replied, knowing that she was, of course, perfectly right, and that his hyper-anxiety was trying to master the situation. "Alright, then. Have it your way."

Bella smiled, and looked up into the night sky. "You know, there are still a few hours before I'll head to Forks. Hmm... What to do with a few free hours?"

Impish smile returning onto Edward's face, he asked, "Kitchen counter or livingroom floor?"

"Kitchen, of course. It never got enough use, anyway."

After one final naked frolic around the empty house, they shut up its windows and doors, locking it. Bella had never had much attachment to houses before. Renée, the roving gypsy, was forever moving from place to place, determined to never put down roots. Bella had considered herself of much the same stock, until now. She had so many memories of the big, old house. It was where her life truly started, as well as ended. She was unwilling to say goodbye.

"Don't be sad, Bella. Who knows? In sixty, seventy years, maybe we'll come back to it."

"It just looks so lonely, all shut up and empty. I wish it didn't have to end."

He pulled her close to him, caressing her long hair. He understood what she was feeling, for he had similar sentiments. This was where it had all begun for him. A life of tedium and pointlessness beforehand, only to alter the second he first saw her. His life was never the same after that, and there wasn't a moment spent that he wasn't grateful for that fact.

When the time had come for each to say a last goodbye, they then drove away from the old Cullen house, toward Forks and Charlie. It was already late by Charlie's standards, 12:30. Late enough that Bella knew he would be in bed fast asleep. Regardless, Edward stopped the car down the street, just as a precaution.

"Are you sure you don't want me to go in there with you?" he asked again, hoping that she would change her mind.

"I'm sure," she said, crushing his hopes. "I won't be long." She opened the car door, and stepped out.

"Wait, Bella!" he said, calling her back. "How are you going to get in?"

"Front door."

"It squeaks," he said, shaking his head. "Try your bedroom window."

"Oh. Alright," Bella said, suddenly feeling less confident. Her room was all the way up on the second story. However, she wouldn't dare give Edward the pleasure of proving that she needed his help, and so quietly shut the car door, and crept around to the side of the house.

Standing neath the window, she gazed up, unsure of how to even attempt such a feat. Thinking a good jump to be her best bet, she sprang up, catching the windowsill easily. She wouldn't have thought it possible to hang there, effortlessly holding onto a thin piece of wood, while sliding up the sash with a free hand. It slid open easily, and she slipped in as though she had done it a thousand times.

Rising up off the floor, she gazed about her old room that she had not visited in so many months. The last time she had entered it, she was human, late for work, not to mention still a virgin. She was altogether a different person now, and not only because she was a vampire. Killing people had a way of changing a person.

The room appeared to have been frozen in time, for her bed still lay unmade, as though she had only just been sleeping in it. CD's littered the floor, as well as her copy of _Wuthering Heights_, the post-it note bookmark still tucked between the pages. And then, it suddenly dawned on her the eerie feeling the room emitted. It spoke of a death. Not as though a corpse lay rotting under her bed, but death in that the room lay perfectly untouched, a monument to her life. Of course Charlie had not wanted to touch her things, hoping and praying that she would one day come home. But she never would, and her belongings were his only reminder that she had ever lived there at all.

An ocean of guilt washing over her, she shook her head, trying to focus on her purpose. She had wanted some things that she had missed, and grabbing an old knapsack from the closet, chose some items that she didn't think Charlie would notice missing. A wad of cash from the back of her underwear drawer, as well as a handful of underwear while she was at it, the tattered copy of _Wuthering Heights_ (it smelt like home), her camera, and the blue blouse that Edward loved. She tossed the bag out the window, and then strode to her door, opening it carefully.

Charlie's snores were the unmistakable sign of his being asleep, but curiously, he was not in his bedroom. She stepped carefully down the stairs, expertly skipping the squeaky steps. Charlie sat in his favourite chair in the livingroom, and upon seeing him, Bella thought she may prove that vampires can cry yet.

In her absence, he had moved the old computer downstairs beside his chair on a makeshift table, and it still sat humming, the screensaver bouncing balls across the screen. She gazed down at him, the only light coming from the blue screen. He appeared to have aged in the months she was away, having more wrinkles around his eyes and forehead than she remembered, not to mention grey hair. She longed to wake him and hug him, let him know that she was alright and well looked after. That she was loved, and wanted. That she would be alright, forever. But, remembering her promise to Edward, she merely stood there, glad to be with him, even if he had no knowledge of it.

Shivering in his sleep, he turned over, the chair bumping into the table, causing the screensaver to snap off, restoring the screen. Bella's cold heart could not but fall at what she saw. It was his Hotmail account, and every email there was addressed from her, the last being two weeks ago, and the others before them, fairly spaced out. Had he been waiting to hear from her? Checking all night in the vain hope that she would write?

"Oh, Charlie," she whispered, and picked up an afghan from the sofa, draping it over him. She longed to touch him, and make him real. If she could only feel him, then this wouldn't be some remorseful living-dream, but reality. Building her courage, she reached over, placing her hand on his. Instantly, he shuddered again, snatching his hand away, but not waking.

She had forgotten. Yes, her hands would feel like ice to him. Perhaps it was better this way after all: the email, and lack of contact. He would not like her the way she was now. The way she could not change, no matter how much he may wish it of her.

"Good bye, Dad," she whispered at last, and silently retreated back up to her old bedroom. Opening the door, she should not have been surprised to see Edward sitting on her old bed, as he had always done in days gone by. He rose, and she bolted to him, appreciative of his enveloping embrace.

"I'm sorry Bella," he said, sighing and kissing her on the forehead. "I wish there was some way I could make this less painful for you."

"I know you do," she said, burying her face in his chest. But she knew there was no way. She would simply have to miss both Charlie and Renée for the rest of their lives, and well after their deaths. There was no happy ending here.

"It shouldn't have been like this..."

She shook her head, and turned to look up at him. His beautiful, perfect face looked sadly down at hers. "I don't regret, you know. I intended this to happen, remember? I made my choice long ago, and even considering everything that has happened, I would do it over again. As much as it hurts now, and will for a long time, I don't regret becoming what I now am. They are my past. You are my future. Forever."

His lip trembled, and he kissed her passionately while pulling her closer still. Several minutes passed in which they simply held each other, unwilling to move or let go. After those minutes and Bella was recovered, she knew it was time to leave. This house was no longer her home.

Edward allowed her to jump first, as he had mastered how to silently pull down the pane without it smashing. Back in the comfort of the Volvo, her knapsack at her feet, Bella took one last glance from the right-hand mirror of her old life. "Alright, Edward," she said, smiling. "Let's go home." The engine purred to life, and without delay or regret, they drove off down the road toward a new future in Oregon.

Charlie, meanwhile, started awake. He could have sworn he had heard car doors slam. He gazed about the darkened room, and wondered at how the afghan had mysteriously found its way onto him. He never used it. Checking his email one final time before bed, he clicked the mouse: no mail from Bella. His aching heart sank. "Maybe tomorrow," he said aloud to himself, and rose his tired bones out of the chair, stretching them. When had he become an old man? he wondered. As he yawned, he stopped dead, and breathed in deeply the air around him. He would know that scent anywhere, and its sudden appearance along with the afghan startled him so much that he ran to the window, throwing back the curtains.

No car.

Skipping up the squeaky steps two at a time, he opened her bedroom door, where more of her scent seemed to linger. But the room was forlornly empty, as it had been for many months. He sat down on her bed, as he usually did when he was missing her, and cried well into the night.


	30. An American Werewolf in Volterra

**30. AN AMERICAN WEREWOLF IN VOLTERRA**

August arrived with the worst heat wave to hit Italy in more than thirty years. The fountains in Rome were reportedly having to be refilled with water every three days, and the usual ban for wading in them had been lifted.

For Jacob, however, so hot always already, he barely noticed the rise in mercury. He had been forced to give up wearing cut-off jean shorts for something more stuck-up, and expensive. He didn't give a damn about all that crap, but knew that as long as he stayed, he would play by their rules.

In the confines of his room, however, he forwent the necessity of wearing any clothes at all, and it was at this particular moment, naked and sweating, that he rolled off of Heidi, and onto the bed. Panting, and feeling the slow fading of the orgasm, he closed his eyes, ignoring the partner with whom he had just shared so much bliss.

Heidi knew what she was about. This was not a love relationship. It was a pathetic, escape-the-misery-so-let's-have-sex relationship. She didn't love him any more than he her. That was their understanding. The truth was, she had never recovered from Demetri. More shocked was she to find that he had left with Edward and Bella without so much as a wave goodbye. Since then, her existence had been a shell of what was previously a rich-filled existence.

But, it had now been five months since Bella and Demetri had left, and despite Jacob and Heidi's attempts to seek false solace in each other, both were just as miserable as that first day. Jacob had only descended further into the dark depths of Volturi tradition, growing more angry and disturbed. Even as a lover, Heidi couldn't reach him. "Did you enjoy it?" she asked, sweeping back her cascade of mahogany curls, hoping for a shred of gentleness from him. However, there was little that he did with her that _**was**_ gentle.

"Mmm," Jacob replied, his eyes remaining closed. "Like fucking an ice cream sundae."

Disgusted, she rose out of bed, picking up her clothes from the floor. "You can be such a pig."

Opening his eyes only to roll them, he reached over grabbing her cold hand. "I was kidding. It was great as always. You know me, Heidi. I just don't go for all that romance shit."

"I'll bet you never talked that way to _**her**_."

"I don't want to talk about _**her**_," he said sharply, closing his eyes again, and letting go of her hand.

"It's been five months. They've both moved on. But still, you can't let her go, can you?"

"I said, I don't want to talk about her," he replied, turning to look at her. His eyes were black as coal. Even with her, he meant business.

Exasperated, she began putting on her clothes, saying, "Fine. Shut me out as always. You're a closed book. You're untouchable. You'll never let anyone in. Well, that's the last time I let you in _**me**_."

"Heidi..." he moaned, trying to sweet-talk her back to his side, but this time he had gone too far, and she slammed the door behind her.

Collapsing back on the bed, he only had one word to surmise the situation, and the mess he had made with it. "Fuck."

Now changed into his Gucci jeans and Ralph Lauren t-shirt, he escaped the confines of his prison-like room. He thought about sniffing Heidi out and making up with her, but for now he just wasn't in the mood. Her words had hit home, and he wasn't ready to admit that she was right. That no matter where he went or what he did, Bella's essence seemed to follow, haunting his every step. It didn't seem to signify how many bloodsuckers he killed, or with whom he slept. There was no escaping her. He had never shared the same space with her at Volterra, but from the very beginning, as she left and he stayed, her scent seemed to be everywhere. Every time he passed what he knew had been her room, he could smell it. It wasn't until two months passed that he changed his paths altogether, so as to never go near it again.

He spat on the floor as he walked, as though spitting the taste of her out of his mouth from months long gone. Striding down the labyrinth of corridors, he walked purposefully to the great rooms, toward Aro and his weekly lesson. He had never found them of any particular use. He didn't consider himself the nerdy, bookish type, so Aro forever droning on about folklore, history, and every other boring topic under the sun, did little but put him into a mental coma.

He turned a corner, and nearly collided with Felix. "Hey there, Mutt!" Felix said, turning around, and walking beside him in stride.

"Hey Felix," Jacob said flatly, still walking, but not really in the mood for Felix's antics today.

"Say, what did you do to piss off Heidi? She nearly ripped my head off, and all I did was slap her ass as always, and she nearly decapitated me right there in front of Marcus."

"Did Marcus say anything?"

"No, you know Marcus. He's the strong, silent type. He did give me a look that could kill, though."

"Well, I guess you shouldn't have slapped her ass, then," Jacob said, still not looking at him, now skipping down the steps two at a time.

"Aw, it's all in good fun. She normally knows that. That's why I wondered what _**you**_ did to set her off today."

Jacob opened his mouth to speak, only to close it again. He would not be sharing his intimate moments with a leech like Felix, vampire friend or no.

"Ah ha!" Felix said, pouncing on what he clearly smelt was a wounded animal. "I thought so... Trouble in paradise perhaps? You don't mind if I have a go at her if you two are through? The trick is to catch 'em on the rebound, and then dump them before they dump you. It keeps things exciting that way. I had tried to do that with Bella, but..."

Suddenly, Jacob stopped short, leaning in dangerously. "Don't talk of Bella to me, okay?"

Felix, however, saw no danger and merely smiled. "I didn't sleep with her, if that's what you're so touchy about, and it wasn't for lack of trying."

Seeing that he was going to get nothing but a load of crap that he didn't want to hear, he turned tail and bolted away, back on his route to Aro.

"Rejected you too, huh?" Felix continued, catching up using his super-vampire speed. "Don't take it personally, kid. I think she was a bit of a prude, if you catch my meaning..."

"Felix," Jacob growled, reaching the end of his very short rope, "why don't you shut up and piss off? I'm not interested in what you think. And besides," he said, stopping at the door to Aro's study, "she wasn't prudish the last time _**I**_ fucked her."

Felix stood there like a guppy-fish at feeding time, and Jacob had the satisfaction of for once catching him off guard. He smiled, and then opened the door, retreating into Aro's study, where Felix could not follow.

"Ah, my dear Jacob," Aro said and his pupil collapsed into a nearby chair, and pulled out a stick of gum.

Aro smiled weakly, and bemoaned inwardly of humans and their peculiar predilections. Jacob was not as he had supposed. So full of promise and ability, he possessed all the mercenary urge and thirst to destroy. What Aro could plainly see, however, was that in so doing, Jacob was utterly destroying himself. He would not be guided, was resistant to any form of instruction or self-betterment, and had the unfortunate predisposition to always believe he, and he alone, was in the right.

"So, what's on the agenda today?" Jacob said, ceaselessly snapping his gum.

"I thought we would discuss the book I gave you this Tuesday past."

"Oh," Jacob said, ineffectively hiding his carelessness. "I meant to get around to it, but then Felix and I were sent to Barcelona. Remember? So, I didn't get a chance to read it."

"Jacob," Aro said, his voice becoming eerily cold, "I assigned the book following your _**return**_ from Barcelona."

"Oh," was all Jacob could lamely reply. "Oops."

Aro sighed deeply, reflecting that Jacob's temperament would try that of a saint. An unruly scholar, and ill-disciplined, Aro's doubts were mounting. _He is not the one._ "Then we have nothing further to discuss. You may leave."

"Oh, okay," Jacob replied, rising. Utterly oblivious to the severity of the insult he had just caused.

Stepping out of the door, Felix pounced on him. "Are you bullshitting me?"

"Let it go, Felix," Jacob said, once again trying to ignore him, now speeding off down another long passageway.

"C'mon, Mutt. Details, please, otherwise I'll just think you're full of crap."

"So think I'm full of crap," Jacob said, making a sharp left which Felix nearly missed. "I don't care."

Felix eyed him cautiously for a moment, as though struggling to reach into his mind and extract the truth. "No way. I don't believe it."

"Fine then."

Felix's face hardened. He hated being toyed with. "Alright, I can see you don't want to give particulars, so just tell me one thing, and then I'll leave you alone."

Jacob, however, just stepped outside passed the guard and into the sunshine. Felix, having no cloak, could not follow.

"One thing," Jacob said, knowing that otherwise, Felix would not let it go.

Felix thought hard a moment. What was the most vital bit of information? "When?"

Jacob smiled. He had supposed a leech like Felix to come up with one of the more cruder questions. Perhaps he would have gotten around to that had he been given the opportunity. "Right after she was changed. I found her in the woods. Satisfied?"

"Interesting..." Felix said, mulling over this new bit of dirty laundry.

Jacob nodded, and turned down the street, leaving the Villa de Volturi behind. He loved the daytime in Volterra, where he could be free of the overpowering stench of vampires for a time, bask in the glow of the warm sunlight, and not be automatically associated with his masters.

The streets were empty in places where the sun beat mercilessly down, but in the shadowed pockets normally restricted to vampires, wilting humans with paper fans congregated, complaining of the heat, and sipping on their frizante Pellegrino. Jacob strode past them, feeling as alien to them as he did his enemy family.

He had seen the look on Bella's face when he'd accepted Aro's offer that day. The look of absolute bewilderment. He knew she had wondered if he were completely mental, a thought that he secretly shared. In truth, he wasn't altogether sure _**why**_ he had said yes. A part of it felt like revenge, knowing it would torment Bella; he was fine with that.

It had been long since he had rejected his own pack from Le Push, and even now, covered in vampire stench, he had zero desire to return to them. He was beginning to imagine himself a lone wolf, forever an outcast, not meant to interact with others.

"Bella! BELLA!" a voice called, and like a whiplash, Jacob shot his head around, his heart instantly in his throat.

No Bella could he see, but a middle aged man, chastising a little girl. "Bella, che cosa lo avete pensato eravate fare, errante via?"

"Spiacente, papà," the little girl replied, taking her father's hand and glancing back at Jacob.

Inwardly, Jacob felt disgusted. Was he so weak as to become undone merely by hearing her name? Was Bella to hound him forever? Just how did someone move on from the love of their life? He knew that if she came to him, begging to take her back, he'd crumble in a second. But, how he hated himself for knowing that.

"No more," he growled to himself, startling some people he was passing. If it would take _**hate**_ to move himself past her, he would willingly go there.


	31. Home Sweet Home

**31. HOME, SWEET HOME**

As the morning sun broke in through the window, bedazzling their naked skin, Bella and Edward were blissfully happy. This was what rapture was made of. This was what made everything worthwhile. They stared into each other's golden eyes, forever transfixed by the palpable love they emitted.

For now they could stay in bed, having nowhere to be just yet. August meant the last dog days of summer, and although Edward had been prodding to put Bella into college, (still insisting on the possibility of Dartmouth), Bella, however, resisted. For now, she wanted normality and comfort. She had spent so long away from her new family, she was not in any rush to leave them again. Ivy League pushed aside for now, she held firm on the University of Oregon in the spring semester.

Also, there was now a wedding to plan. Alice had been most desirous to take care of all the details, and have only the bride and groom show up, but Bella took a firmer hand this second time around. The difference perhaps being that now she so very much _**wanted**_ to marry Edward, and leave no doubts for anyone regarding their devotion to one another. Alice accepted this new arrangement without complaint, declaring that she had seen the final result, and that it would be very beautiful.

For now, Bella and Edward turned their attention to the labourious task of the list. Whom to invite? This wedding was to be much smaller than their earlier intended nuptials. They now had close acquaintances that spanned the globe. And although it may prove to be rude not to invite Aro, they thought a small, intimate wedding would take care of certain issues.

"What about your parents and Phil?" Edward asked, reluctant to bring it up, but tired of dancing around the subject.

"Not funny," Bella said, immediately depressed. "You're the one who warns me they can never see me again. You think suddenly after a year, inviting them to our wedding will make things better?"

Feeling a sharp pang of contrition, Edward said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean it that way. I just thought..." but his words died in his mouth. He just thought what? That he knew not seeing her family killed her with every angry email she received? That the threats to hire private investigators to track her down didn't bother her? Or worse, the flaming accusations declaring Edward to be a bad influence, driving her family away?

Secretly, she wondered if they suspected she had joined a cult, the way they wrote to her about mind control, and panic words that she could write, and they'd know she was in trouble. It crushed her inside every time she was forced to compose an indifferent reply; yet another refusal to meet with them, forever claiming to be busy. It was beginning to take its toll, and Edward wondered where it would stop.

_**No happy endings**_, Bella could not help but tell herself, seeing no way to make this right.

"Just the ten of us then, including the minister?"

Bella nodded, yes. It would be more like a small dinner party than a wedding, but she didn't care. That wasn't what really mattered. The 'I do's' were what counted, and to keep herself from calling Charlie and asking him to give her away, that's what she focussed on.

Bella had not known what life was like with the Cullens prior to her moving there, but could not help but wonder at it now. The house, though large with five bedrooms, was stuffed to the brim with vampires. Everyone always seemed to be colliding as they bustled about, coming and going, living their own lives, but steadfastly remaining together as a family unit.

As Bella and Edward (finally dressed at the midday hour), trod down the stairs, they were greeted by a snickering Emmett. "Avoid Rose. She's not in the best of moods. Says you both were too noisy last night when she was trying to read."

"Oh, like you two have never disturbed anyone," Edward shot back, the playful crooked grin on his face. "Rosalie, whose the screamer of the family, and you who likes to break things."

"All in the name of love, Bro," Emmett said, patting him on the back and turning to Bella. "How ya doing, Bell?"

"Good," Bella replied, though a little disturbed to know that others in the house had heard them during sex.

"It sure sounded like it last night," Emmett said, walking away.

They entered the livingroom where Demetri and Jasper were having a heated debate regarding Napoleon's tactics when he invaded Russia. They stopped the argument only to exchange a brief hello with Edward and Bella, and then continued on their way.

"You don't know that!" Jasper exclaimed. "You admitted that you weren't even in Russia at the time!"

"That doesn't mean I didn't _**exist**_ at the time," Demetri argued.

"You were in Italy!"

"It is not so very far. Naturally, we all took interest in the war, as it would affect our food supply."

"That doesn't mean that it really happened!" Jasper hollered.

Though they sounded fierce, no one paid their discourse any attention anymore. Jasper had always felt slightly the outsider, as he had by far the darkest past. The strain to not return to his old eating habits was a daily battle. Upon meeting Demetri, however, they struck up an instant kinship. They became the brothers in arms, sharing the common struggle, as well as extensive military backgrounds. None was more happy than Alice, for Jasper now had someone else to confide in when feeling tempted. Someone who would never judge him.

Escaping the heat of the controversy, Edward and Bella met Esme and Rosalie in the kitchen, where Esme was arranging hydrangea from the garden. "Good morning you two!" Esme called warmly.

"Good morning," they chimed back, and Bella's eyes flashed nervously at Rosalie's glare in their direction.

"Can I ask you a favour?" Rose asked, her tone suggesting that 'no' would not have been an agreeable reply.

"Shoot," Edward said, not even looking at her.

"Can you two try to be a bit more quiet next time? I found the noise last night extremely irritating."

"Rose!" Esme scolded. "Not polite!"

"Hey, no problem!" Edward replied, sarcastically. "But know that the next time the entire house hears you and Emmett go at it..."

"Edward!" Esme chided.

"...I'll be at the door, also asking a favour."

Rosalie's lips pinched into a thin line, and Bella was grateful that she didn't say any more. Esme, on the other hand, was horrified. "The way you two talk is shameful!"

"Sorry, Esme," Edward replied, though not appearing a bit remorseful at all.

Rose said nothing, but reopened her book. Suddenly Alice rushed into the room, looking crestfallen. "There you two are! Ten! Only ten?!"

She was of course referring to the number of guests invited to their wedding. No doubt she had foreseen the change in arrangements.

"Ten," Edward confirmed.

"That's nice," Esme said, placing the flowers on the dining table they rarely used. "Intimate."

"But..." Alice tried to rebuke, but was met with Edward's outstretched palm.

"Ten."

She turned hopefully to the bride. "Bella..." she said imploringly.

"Sorry, Alice."

Alice sighed. "That means no food, then."

"You wouldn't eat the food anyway," Edward pointed out.

"It's a great table decoration, Edward!" Alice said, sitting down, deflated.

Esme smiled. It was so nice to worry about small things like the number of guests to a party, other than what had come before. Edward being away, Bella taken from them, her family torn in two. She smiled again to herself. This was how it should be. "Have you given any more thought to a honeymoon destination?"

"I say Italy," Rosalie said, not looking up from her book.

She could not see it, but Edward shot her a vengeful look. "Ha ha. No. We've been thinking about a cabin in the Algonquins."

"A cabin?!" Rosalie repeated as though it were a dirty word, looking up from her book that she had been pretending to read. "You want to rough it on your honeymoon?!"

Edward's crooked grin widened, and Bella knew immediately what he was thinking. She escaped the room, desirous not to hear his cheeky reply.

"Edward!" Esme could be heard scolding again.

Bella returned to the livingroom to find Demetri sitting alone watching televison.

A news reporter could barely be heard over the rising voices in the kitchen. "...now the twenty-second child to go missing in the outskirts of Paris. France's National Police suspect several known paedophiles. It is unknown..." Demetri hit mute, and cast Bella a struggling smile.

"Who won the debate?" she asked.

"I did," Demetri said, smiling. "But, he can't really argue with me, as I was around at the time." Bella sat next to him on the couch. "Say, Bella," Demetri said, his tone and manner turning almost grim. He seemed very reluctant to speak, for his mouth opened and closed several times, searching for the right words. "You remember your friend? The one from that day in Volterra...the werewolf?"

"Jacob," Bella said, all humour gone.

Nodding, Demetri asked, "Have you heard from him lately?"

"Not since that day. Why?"

He shrugged his shoulders. He didn't want to worry her, but if it were him, and Heidi were in trouble, he'd want to know. "I keep in touch with people. Alec, Felix, Armand. And...they keep me updated on what's going on back there."

Bella was starting to feel immensely sick. "And what _**is**_ going on back there?"

"There's just...rumours, that's all. That Jacob's not what Aro expected. I don't know. Alec was pretty vague."

Bella turned away, thinking. Jacob had never been one to follow the rules. He was no soldier. Forever a rebel, she knew he would do what he wanted to do first, and what his masters wanted to do a distant second. "Is he in danger?"

"I don't think so. I just thought...you'd like to know. Maybe you could talk some sense into him. The masters are not ones to displease..."

Swallowing, she nodded. "I will. Thank you, Demetri."

He handed her a card, with a corporate style V in the centre in blood red. There was no address or name, only a phone number. "Here. If you can, tell him he doesn't want to get on their bad side, Caius especially."

"Thanks," she said, taking the card. She rose up, but he was quick to add, "Say, Bella, don't mention my name, okay?"

"I promise," she replied, and wasting no time, she flew up the steps two at a time. Sitting on her bed, she held the phone in her hands a minute, thinking of what she would say. Their goodbye had been such that she wasn't sure if he ever wanted to speak to her again. She couldn't blame him for hating her, nor did she regret her final decision. Her heart had always sung for Edward.

Slowly, she clicked on the phone, and began dialling the intimidating twelve digit phone number, careful not to make a mistake. The phone rang in two short bursts, then paused, and followed by another two short rings. "Buona sera! Come posso dirigere la vostra chiamata?"

"Ciao, Gianna!" Bella said, smiling. It felt so strange to hear her voice after so long. "È Bella."

"Bella!" Gianna cooed over the phone. "How are you? Everyone misses you. You never call!"

"I'm sorry. Busy, you know."

"Of course. How are you?"

"I'm good, actually. How's Jacob?"

A long pause in which Bella feared they had been disconnected. "Jacob is...Jacob. You know how he is," Gianna replied in the end. "Is it he you would like to speak to?"

"Yes, please."

"Un momento," she replied, and then the phone began to ring again. Bella's stomach lodged in her throat, she waited anxiously for him to pick up. What if he didn't? Would she have the nerve to call again later?

"Yeah?" a voice sounded through the phone. He sounded tired and gruff. The words caught in Bella's throat, and she began to wonder if this was such a good idea. "HELLO?!" Jacob roared, making Bella jump though thousands of miles away.

"Jacob, it's me. It's Bella." She waited expectantly as a long pause filled the phone.

"Bella?" he whispered at last, as though confused.

"Yes. How...how are you?"

His answer was clear enough. He hung up. The phone now beeping in her ear, she clicked it off, disappointed. She knew this was her bed, and that she would have to sleep in it, but she had never wanted to hurt Jacob. He had been her rock through the toughest of times.

"Wouldn't talk to you, huh?" a voice said, and Bella raised her head to see her lovely Edward standing in the doorway, looking like a page out of GQ.

"No," she said disheartened, shaking her head. "I guess I couldn't really expect him to. It's just...I worry about him...being there."

"It was his choice," he said, sitting beside her, wrapping a tender arm around her waist. "You were forced to stay. He wasn't."

"But Demetri said..."

"I know what Demetri said," he replied darkly. "And I suppose he means well, but you can't change Jacob's mind for him, Bella. No one ever could. Jacob is his own master."

"That's the problem, though, isn't it?"

"They won't hurt him," he said confidently. "If anything, they'll just ask him to leave."

"A human?" she said pointedly. She could not be fooled by him. "A human who knows too much? Do you honestly believe that? Don't you remember what Caius said that day? The rules of humans who know too much who aren't of use to them anymore?"

In the end, he knew he could not argue with her, for she was right. It could not end well for Jacob if he could not please the masters of Volterra. It would be his undoing. Edward pulled her into a tight embrace, knowing there was nothing he could say that would make this situation any better.


	32. Reality

**32. REALITY**

Jacob held the phone in his hand, pressed closely to his ear. "Bella? Hello? Are you there?" When the phone began to buzz, he clicked it off, holding it reverently in his hands. She had been there, not a moment before. He could still hear her soft, sweet voice in his ear, speaking his name. Had she changed her mind and hung up? Was it merely disconnected? He waited by the phone, certain that she would call again.

She didn't.

What would be her reason for calling? Five months with no word, and all of a sudden a phone call out of the blue? She wouldn't have left Edward. He replayed the image of them together at the fighting match, and no. This time he would not be so lucky. Somehow, though thousands of miles away, he knew Edward wouldn't, _**couldn't**_ be so stupid as to lose her again.

So, why was she calling now? Now, after so long? Just checking up on him? Did he want to know how _**she**_ was passing her time? If it was anything like what he was doing with Heidi, he didn't want to know. He put the phone back in the charger by his bed. Somehow, hearing her voice brought him back down to earth, evaporating his hate.

He reached for the phone, tempted to ring up Gianna and get her to track down Bella's number, but drew his hand back before he could pick up. Again reaching for it, he repeatedly pulled back his hand as though trying to touch a burning hot stove.

Suddenly, several loud bangs burst upon his door. Abandoning his wavering attempt to pick up the phone, he opened the door. There stood Felix, dressed in dark jeans and a t-shirt. He smiled at Jacob as he pushed on a pair of super black shades, covering his blood-filled irises. "You ready?"

"Yeah, I just..." Jacob said, swaying back to the phone. In the end, he grabbed his duffle bag and sunglasses. "I'm ready."

"Good. Oh, did I mention Jane's coming with us?"

"No, you didn't," Jacob said, woebegone. "How come?"

Felix merely shrugged, indifferent. "Extra set of hands. I dunno. C'mon!" he said, giving his friend a playful whack on the arm. "She's waiting, and you know how pissy she gets."

"I'm ready!" Jacob said again, grabbing the door knob behind him, casting one longing glance at the phone.

The sun had set, so they felt no unease about stepping out into the twilight. A long, sleek black limo stood waiting for them, and one by one, they climbed in.

Felix and Jacob sat side by side, while Jane sat opposite them, composed behind her glassy expression.

"So, where are we going again?" Jacob asked, rummaging in his bag for his gum.

Felix grumbled. "A little town in the middle of the Kampinoski National Park, about an hour outside of Warsaw. Why can't we be sent someplace fun, like Rio?"

Jane's eyes rolled over to him increduously.

"What?" he replied. "I hear it's good for a laugh."

"Warsaw," Jacob repeated, ignoring Felix's remarks. "That's in Russia, right?"

"Poland, Jacob," Felix said, laughing openly. "We're heading to Poland."

"Oh. What's in Poland?"

"A very naughty vampire," Jane replied.

"Dibs," Jacob said, smiling.

"No way, you called dibs in Cairo!" Felix replied.

Jacob laughed, grateful for the opportunity to be killing something soon. "You snooze, you lose, my friend."

"Damn," Felix said, gritting his teeth.

Jacob slept on the private jet, and when they landed in Warsaw nearly two hours later, it was black as pitch outside, the perfect cover for vampire hunting. They rented a car, making their way out of the airport, past the city, and into the open countryside.

Felix sat behind the wheel, driving fast, weaving in and out of traffic.

"So," Jacob said, thinking of something for the first time. "How come we're all the way out here? Just to kill one measly leech?"

Jane answered for Felix, as he was busy swearing and making rude gestures with his hand at another vehicle. "We can't be certain that there's only one. Besides, their government made a request," she said slowly, as though he were an absolute moron. "One of _**our**_ kind was causing too much trouble, so _**we**_ come and take care of it. That's our _**job,**_" she added condescendingly at the end, the words filled with venom.

"Trouble?" Jacob repeated. "What kind of trouble?"

"Really stupid stuff," Felix replied. "Stuff you just wouldn't do if you know what's good for ya. High profile, showy stuff. Idiotic..."

"Like what?"

Jane smiled at him. "At first the humans thought they had themselves a serial killer. He has a taste for young girls, you see. But, when the bodies started to mount, and the bodies were free of blood, well... You can imagine how difficult _**that's been**_ to cover up and keep out of the papers."

Jacob stared at her a second, feeling a chill crawl down his spine. There was no warmth in Jane's dead eyes. She couldn't care any less for the victims from this animal than she did about him. What troubled her was the inconvenience, not the tragedy of the murders themselves. His hands began to shake. With all his quivering might, he pulled himself back from phasing. "You really are a cold-hearted bitch, you know that?" Jacob said, unable to control himself.

Felix looked sideways at him, thinking the mutt had lost his mind. Jane, however, was undisturbed. "I know," she replied in the same eerie, child-like manner.

They drove onward in silence, the road becoming empty as they entered the national parkland. It was expansive, stretching far into the distance for miles ahead. Towering trees would prove excellent cover for a vampire not wanting to be found.

They parked the car, and climbed out. "This is far enough," Jacob said, breathing in deeply. "There's definitely a vampire out there." He could smell it. Jane and Felix obliged by turning around as Jacob stripped naked, and burst forth a werewolf. It was his killer instinct to turn on them, but focused, he concentrated on the task at hand.

Felix grabbed Jacob's clothes, shoving them into the duffle bag, carrying it in hand. "Right, Mutt. Lead the way. Fetch!" he said, sniggering.

Raising his head and sniffing the air, he caught the vampire's scent leading westward. He shot forward, his purpose clear. Occasionally, he slowed to turn, but Jane and Felix were always close behind, dashing through the forest like gusts of wind. The trail led them deep into the forest where an old barn stood, seemingly empty and desolate. "Hmm. Right," Felix whispered, never taking his eyes off the building. "Jane? Suggestions?"

Jane nodded. "You stay here, Jacob, in case he slips past us. Felix, you head for the north side, I'll take the south."

"Alrighty," Felix said, dropping the bag, feeling his blood warm neath his skin in the anticipation of a fight. "Let's have some fun."

Within a flash, they were silently in position. Felix crept behind the thin, wooden wall of the barn, its timbers turned grey from the long exposure to wind and rain. Finding a missing knot in the wood, he peeped through the hole. A vampire squatted on the ground, staring at something as though transfixed. He appeared young, not more than twenty, with shaggy brown hair. _One, lone vampire?_ Felix thought disappointedly. _Child's play. _Felix, not one for being subtle, burst through the wall as though it were made of paper. The vampire reacted swiftly, crouching back into the attack stance, which Felix copied, smiling. The young one lunged, but was no match for Felix's size and expertise. Grasping the snarling beast by the arm and throat, he threw him, crashing him into the corner's support beam. The roof above them shook and moaned, as though complaining about the rough treatment of its old bones.

"Enough playing, Felix," Jane said while striding in. "I've got it from here. You start the fire."

"Aw," Felix complained, as though she had just taken a live mouse away from a cat."But, I only had one real go at him."

"Fun's over," she said, as the vampire rose up, preparing to spring for another attack. With a flick of her eyes, the vampire collapsed in agony, as though he were burning alive.

"Oh, sure," Felix said sarcastically, piling the wood up, and taking out a tiny bottle of lighter fluid. "_**You**_ get to have _**your**_ fun!"

Meanwhile, the creature continued to writhe and scream in torture at her feet. As though bored, she asked impassively, "Want to rip him apart, then?"

"OK," Felix replied, brightening. "Jacob'll be pissed." There was little effort involved as Felix grasped hold of the vampire's arm, ripping it clear from the flesh, snapping iron bone and muscle. Screaming louder still, the vampire was helpless to fight back as a grinning Felix and Jane bore all their horrors down upon him. The other arm, wrenched free from its socket, likewise tearing the gossamer looking skin and blood, black with a shimmer of crimson, made waves down his snow white skin.

Jacob came in, dressed only in his jeans, irate. "Hey!" he shouted. "I called dibs!"

"You snooze, you lose, my friend," Felix said, grasping the vampire's head with his hands.

"One moment," Jane called, stemming the tide of torture for a moment. "You," she said, addressing the battered and beaten vampire as though he were soot on her shoe. "What are you called?"

"T...Tanek," the creature replied, blood spitting from his mouth. The blood from all his victims.

"And, who is your maker?" Jane inquired, colder than the frosty days of January.

"Don't know," Tanek replied, trembling neath Felix's unwavering grasp.

"Hmm," Jane replied. "Alright, then. Felix, as you were."

With a swift twist of his arms, Tanek's head broke free, rolling upon the ground.

"The fire, Felix," Jane commanded.

"I know, I know," Felix said, pulling out a lighter from his pocket, lighting the fire neath the corpse. "I _**have**_ done this before, ya know..."

Jacob stood there, half naked and disappointed. A rustle moved behind him, and within a flash, he turned around, his teeth bared and ready. But crouched on the ground was not another vampire, but a girl. A _**human**_ girl.

She was not bound, for there had been no possible escape from Tanek. Trembling wildly, she shrunk away from Jacob, terror filled her eyes.

Instantly, Jacob's demeanor changed. "It's okay," Jacob said, holding out his hands. "I won't hurt you."

"What's this?" Felix called, abandoning his campfire, and strolling over to Jacob. "Oh, thank the maker! I could use a snack after that!"

"What?!" Jacob called, but was too late, for within a flash the girl stood helpless in Felix's mighty arms, her lifeblood draining away.

"Ah!" Felix growled, the girl's blood on his lips as he dropped her heartlessly to the filthy floor.

Jane glared at him, pouting. "You did not even _**offer**_ her to me."

"Sorry," he said, shrugging a shoulder. "She smelt sweet, that one."

Jacob stood frozen, his eyes glued to the ghostly paleness of her skin as her dead eyes looked forever onward, though never seeing anything again.

"Hey," Felix called, noticing his friend's odd behaviour for the first time. "You okay?"

"You...why...How could you do that?" he stumbled out, struggling for words in his own bewildered brain.

"Huh?" Felix asked, thoroughly confused.

"She was the _**victim**_!" Jacob called, suddenly furious, his hands beginning to shake. "She deserved to be _**saved**_!"

"No, Jacob," Jane said, her voice calm. "She was never going to leave here alive. Tanek would have killed her. Instead, we have done so."

"But, _**why**_?!" he asked, suddenly overcome by his emotions that he always masterfully tried to keep under control. They were now beginning to bubble to the surface, and would not recede.

"She knew too much," Jane said as though he were an imbecile. "She saw too much. She could never have gone free, Jacob. Our masters would not have liked it."

"But..." Jacob said, struggling against his own thoughts and feelings. He had always known what they were, what they ate. But no more could he disregard the faceless people who died while he was living under their roof, a servant for them to order about. No more could he stand by and deny what he truly was, or what they truly were. He'd had enough.

"Look," Felix said, bored, "we'll talk about it on the plane, alright? Let's just go! I hate just standing around..."

With one last look his way, Jacob took off like a shot, out the broken wall, past the trees, through the field, and beyond.

Felix took an anxious step after him, but Jane's quick hand held him back. "No, stop! He wants to leave the protection of the Volturi, that's his choice. We cannot go after him without our Master's consent."

"What, we're just going to leave him here?" Felix asked incredulously.

"It's his choice," she replied smiling. "He's just signed his own death warrant."


	33. Summons

**33. SUMMONS**

Edward stared at himself in the mirror and sighed. He may not look bad in a tuxedo, but they really were the most ridiculous of things. How he envied the people who could fly away to a beach on Maui and get married under sun and beside surf! _**They**_ didn't wear tuxedos there. However, a glittering bride and groom might, just might, create unwanted attention. He would wear the monkey-suit.

"I like it," Bella said, popping her face out from behind him, looking at his stunning reflection. He looked as though he should be walking down a runway, not marrying her. "How's it feel?"

"Alright, I guess."

Smiling, Alice snapped a photo.

"What's that for?" Edward asked, distrustfully.

"Scrapbook," Alice replied.

Emmett walked out of the change room, likewise in a pale grey tux. "I don't like the dove. It looks stupid."

Seeing their abhorrence, the clerk was quick to pipe up. "Shall we try a darker grey? Charcoal perhaps?"

"Alright," Edward said, and back they went into the change rooms.

"What colour will they end up with?" Bella asked Alice.

"Black," Alice said.

"You already know which tux, don't you?"

"Yes," Alice said, smiling, "but it's fun to see them try them on. Especially that last one. It was terrible!"

"I heard that," Edward called from behind the door. He stepped out again. It was a vast improvement, but something still wasn't right... Alice's camera flashed again as she took another photo of Edward looking uncomfortable.

Emmett stepped out, looking equally dissatisfied. "Explain to me again why we're renting and not buying?"

Bella looked at him incredulously. "That's a two thousand dollar tux you've got on there. When would you ever wear it again? Who are you, James Bond?"

Edward shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. I could wear it to the opera. Have you ever been? I'd love take you sometime."

Bella's face fell. The memories of Volterra came rushing back to her like a tumultuous flood. Those were real experiences, not dreams. No, she never dreamed anymore. Nightmares were another thing, however...

Edward saw her distress, and immediately was at her side. "Are you okay? What's wrong?"

"Nothing," Bella replied, shrugging off her discomfort, trying not to see Jacob's face in a sea of mist. "I...uh...Opera's cool."

Edward nodded, deciding it best not to push for answers...for now.

"You never know," Emmett said, checking out how his butt looked in the mirror. "You may wear it again, Edward. You wore that one from my wedding to Prom, remember?"

"He did not!" Alice said. She knew, because she had helped him dress that day.

"Not the baby blue one!" Emmett corrected. "From the 19_**94**_ wedding, not the 19_**84**_ wedding."

"Right, right, right," Alice said, nodding her head.

"No," Edward said, shaking his head, "the one I wore to Prom was from Carlisle and Esme's wedding."

"Which one?" Emmett asked.

"2002."

"Oh," Emmett replied, nodding his head.

The clerk turned his bewildered gaze from one person to the next, utterly lost in the conversation. They all turned, as though only noticing the clerk for the first time, and he at once excused himself.

Edward sighed again, looking at his reflection. "Charcoal is...wrong. Black."

The clerk reemerged from the back room, arms raised, prepared. "You wish to try on the black?"

Edward nodded his head, as he and an exasperated Emmett returned to the change rooms.

"C'mon, Bella. A picture!" Wrapping their arms around each other, Alice and Bella both smiled as Alice clicked the button. The camera flashed, a happy moment forever recorded in time.

Alice turned reluctantly toward her. "I'm not sure if he'd want me to say this, but I know he's really excited right now."

"Excited?"

"About the wedding. He wants to look his best."

"Thanks, Alice," Edward called from behind the door.

"Aw, c'mon, Edward," she said, smiling. "It's cute. It's your first wedding!"

"Oh, that I know," he said, reappearing now clad in black. "Not bad," he said, as the clerk fretted over the cuffs. "What do you think, Bella?" he asked, staring at her reflection in the mirror. He looked perfect, like how a groom should look. Not the candied couple on top of a frippery wedding cake, but lovely, adoringly, perfectly wonderful. Her husband. To be, anyway.

"Love it," she said warmly. "Elegant, yet hot."

He beamed back at her, as the clerk stood up. "So, is this the one, sir?"

"Yes, this will do," Edward said.

"Cummerbund or vest?" the clerk asked, pointing to a wall of torsos dressed in a kaleidoscope of colours.

"Vest," they all replied at once, including Emmett who was still behind closed doors.

Bella and Alice went to confer with the clerk, as in the end, they would be making the final decision.

"So, Alice," Bella said, "which vest will they end up with?"

"That one." Alice pointed to a bone coloured straight tie and vest. "Gucci. Fabulous."

"Alright," Bella said, trusting Alice's choices better than her own. "Say, when is your next wedding?" When she received no response, she turned to her, only to see the glassy-eyed look that had become familiar. "Alice?" she called softly, not wanting to disturb, but worried at the same time.

Suddenly, Alice gasped for breath as though she had been underwater, only just clearing the surface. "No...No! Edward!" she screamed, turning around. "NO!"

Edward stepped out of the change room, phone in hand, his face visibly shaken.

"Are you quite alright, Miss?" the attentive clerk asked, though no one paid him any attention.

Emmett lunged out of the change room in nothing but a t-shirt, socks, and his black boxer briefs. "What the hell's going on?"

Bella wrapped her arm around Alice who stood there, falling to pieces. "My God, Edward!" Bella begged frantically. "What is it?"

One would not have thought that the colour could drain any more from Edward's pale face, yet somehow, be it from shock or concern, he looked ghostly pale. "I just got a call," he managed to say, his voice cracking.

"Who called, Bro?" Emmett asked, not the least ashamed to be caught in nothing but his skivvies. "What's going on?"

Edward took a deep breath, his eyes never leaving Bella's face. "That was Gianna. My presence is requested back in Volterra."

"When?" Bella breathed, her eyes wide with fright.

"24 hours."

"Then, we haven't a moment to lose," Emmett said, as he hurried into his pants and shoes.

"What about the tuxedos?" the clerk asked, dismayed by all the commotion.

"The wedding's been postponed," Edward replied darky, and grasped Bella's trembling hand, leading her and Alice out to the car.

"Wait for me!" Emmett called, still having to move at human speed as he zipped up his fly.

No one spoke to each other the entire length of the ride home, though Emmett's phone never left his ear. All that could be heard was Emmett's low rumblings of the shards of information that he knew, and the slow squeak of the windshield wipers as they moved incessantly back and forth. Occasionally, Bella would cast Edward anxious glances, but his troubled eyes were solidly pulled ahead as he wove in and out of traffic.

She knew him. She didn't have to hear his thoughts to know he was scared. They knew this day would come, but they had not expected so soon. She didn't want to think of his task ahead. If it was anything like his last task, the danger he would be facing was fierce. _**Not Jane again...**_ she thought. _**Please, dear God! Not Jane again!**_

Edward parked the car in the driveway, and they all wordlessly got out, rushing up the steps and into the house out of the rain. They met in the dining room, where Rosalie and Jasper had already claimed their seats. Esme stood pacing, nervously fidgeting with her hands, while Demetri stood like a shadow in the corner, watching the scene unfold.

"Where's Carlisle?" Edward asked, his hand back in Bella's grasp.

"On his way," Esme said, not being able to keep still. "He cited a family emergency, and left the second he got Emmett's call."

"How long?" Edward asked, turning to Emmett.

"I called him first," Emmett replied, massaging Rosalie's shoulders. "Twenty minutes, max."

"Twenty minutes..." Edward said, mulling over the time. "I suppose we can wait twenty minutes."

Time slowly crept by, feeling more like twenty hours. No one spoke. They all converged as couples, needing the reassurances of touch to make the anxiety less agonizing. Bella snuggled into Edward, drinking in his scent. He would not be taken away from her again! He just wouldn't! Aro wouldn't do that to her!

At last, Edward said, "He's here," and the door opened. Carlisle rushed in, taking his seat at the head of the table, as the others likewise found their seats. Only Demetri remained steadfast in the corner, his face grim.

"Alright, Edward," Carlisle said calmly, though his face looked dire. "Repeat what happened, please. From the beginning."

Still holding onto Bella's hand, he said, "My phone went off. I answered it. It was Gianna, the receptionist at the Villa de Volturi. She said, and I quote, 'Edward, my masters request your presence here no later than twenty-four hours from now. Is this convenient?' I said it was, she wished me to have a pleasant day, and hung up."

Carlisle nodded once, and then turned to Alice. "And what did you see, Alice?"

"Flashes. Aro greeting him with an outstretched hand... Edward running in the darkness... Jasper yelling something I couldn't understand... I could sense the danger..."

"And the task?" Carlisle asked. All leaned in, expectantly.

But Alice merely shook her head. "I didn't see it."

"Try again, please," Carlisle said gently. Alice obeyed, remaining perfectly still for several minutes, her fingers to her temple. But, it was of no use. She shook her head, visibly shaken. "Nothing. I'm sorry, Edward. I can't see."

"It's not your fault, Alice," Edward replied, shaking his head. "There's nothing to be done. I've got to go."

"I'm going too," Bella said at once, but she trembled under the weight of Edward's furious eyes.

"Are you crazy? You're staying here! There's no way I'd take you within a hundred miles of Volterra again. I'll lose you forever!"

"Maybe I can reason with Aro!" Bella said passionately.

"You cannot reason with him," Demetri said, and all those present turned to him, falling silent. "A debt is owed, Bella. A debt must be paid. Aro would merely remind you of this. As your brother, I agree with Edward. It's too dangerous for you to go. You'd be a liability. A distraction. He's going to need to concentrate. He'll need all his strength."

"Demetri," Carlisle said, practically begging, "you still have contacts at Volterra. Perhaps you could find out what the task is? Edward would be better prepared..."

But Demetri only sighed, shaking his head. "They have either not been told, or they have been ordered not to speak. I am sorry."

"It's alright," Edward said, steeling his resolve. He would be going to his death, and he knew it.

"But I agree with Bella on one count," Demetri said, leaning in. "You should not go alone. It would seem weak, as though you had no family. No one who cares whether you live or die. But with others with you, it serves as a reminder. They will regard that as power, for this is a powerful family."

"I'll go," Alice said immediately. "I might be able to see something. If I focus solely on Edward, we may have more to go on. Besides, I already know I'm going."

"Agreed," Carlisle said, turning to Jasper.

"Oh, I'm going too," Jasper said, not even needing to be asked. "I go where my girl goes. She's skipped off from me once before to go to Volterra. Not this time, Darlin'..."

Alice inclined into him, resting her head on his shoulder.

"What about me?" Bella said, her voice trembling with fear. "I'm going too!"

The entire room turned to her compassion mixed with pity on their faces, but it was Edward she looked to. "Demetri's right, Bella. It's way too dangerous."

"Screw Demetri and dangerous!" she screamed. "I go where you go, remember! You swore, Edward! You swore you'd never leave me again!"

Slowly, the family drew away, trailing off, couples at a time. They knew the conversation was over. As Alice and Jasper hurried to pack a knapsack, the others left Edward and Bella alone to fight it out.

"Look," he said, his eyes imploring her to see reason, "I'm not _**leaving**_ you, Bella. This is not the same thing. I am being_**summoned**_. One final time. I complete my task, fulfill the obligation, and I'm straight here back to you, I swear it."

"What happens if you fail?" she whispered.

"I won't," he said, shaking his head. "I won't fail. I swear, whatever it is, I'll do it and come back to you. I'll kill whomever it takes if it means I'll be with you."

Bella's face winced as if in pain, but it was her heart that was breaking, not her body. "I still think I should go. I can't stand the thought of being separated from you again."

"I know," he said, pulling her close, crushing her against him as he breathed in the scent of her hair. That would have to sustain him while he was gone. "It won't be for long."

"Promise?" she said, turning her face up at him.

He brushed her cheek with the back of his hand, his lips meeting hers. "I promise."

Ten minutes later, they were gone and Bella fell apart. She cried bitterly in her room for hours. Lonely, agonizing, tearless sobs of fear and the grief one bears when one's other half is taken from them, possibly forever, were the only sounds that filled the now empty-feeling house. A knock sounded at the door. Bella could not answer. She lay on the bed, her mind tormented with images of the terrors Edward would be facing. The door creaked open, and she felt the weight on the bed shift as someone sat down next to her.

"Shhh..." Rosalie said, gently caressing her cheek with her hand, as if wiping away invisible tears. "He loves you, Bella," she said softly. "You know he'd fight the devil himself to come back home to you."

"The devil has a name, you know," Bella sputtered, gasping through her sobs. "And her name is _**Jane**_."


	34. Debt Outstanding

**34. DEBT OUTSTANDING**

Alice tried, but perhaps _**because**_ she was trying to force it upon herself, no vison would come of what lay before them. So onward they travelled into the darkness, blindly stumbling into the murky territory where evil lingered.

Edward barely spoke a word the entire trip. He drove to the airport like a madman, his face appearing as though chiseled from the purest of marbles. Alice forever had a wary eye on him, expecting him at any moment to crack under the monstrous pressure. Jasper did his best to calm them both, but he could feel Edward resist him.

"Stop it, Jasper," he said once their plane finally left Newark. "I need my wits about me. I can't be desensitized right now."

"Just to calm you," Jasper explained.

But Edward shook his head. "I need to stay focused."

Neither Jasper nor Alice argued the point after that. They could not envy him. He tried to steer his mind toward Volterra and Jane, or any possible horrendous duty he would be forced to perform, but it proved difficult. Always his mind returned home to where his heart lay weeping. Yes, he was certain that she was in utter agony, for he felt it also.

Bella had asked him what would happen if he failed. He was now forced to face the fact that he probably would. Most likely, his future consisted of being torn apart, and burned in the hellfire for all of eternity.

He had always been prepared to die for her, and that alone fortified his nerve. When the moment would come, he could show no fear, no trepedation. He could not beg for mercy, or show the slightest sign of weakness. To do so would dishonour his family, but mostly her. She deserved more. Oh, how he wanted to give her more.

While the plane's engines roared, his mind was a torrent of emotion. He thought of Bella leaving Alice and Jasper's protection to meet James. Was this how it had been for her? Anxious to spare them, save Renée, and sacrifice herself? Was this what he was doing now? It certainly felt like it. Somehow, one way or another, he would have to separate himself from Alice and Jasper, and face the unknown danger alone. They didn't deserve to suffer because of his stupidity. It had been idiocy that drove him from her the day she started changing. A delusional madness that even now gnawed at his heart, confirming his ingrained belief: he just didn't deserve her.

Truth or no, he would go back to her if he could. It was the thought of returning that brought him strength, the courage to fight on. She wanted him. She loved him, and oh, how desperately he needed her. It was as though she bore a piece of him, and he could not be complete without her near. It was then that he realized his heart, cold, dead and shrivelled, was yet alive in a different way. It failed to beat when she was not near.

Alice turned to Edward, studying his face. _What was it you said to Demetri before we left? I noticed Esme distracted Bella for a minute. What did you say to him?_

Edward sat still, his eyes cast downward. "I asked him to protect her in my absence, however long that would be."

_And he agreed?_ she asked, though nearly certain as to the answer.

At this he turned to her, somewhat bewildered. "Of course. He's our brother."

She smiled, but quickly it faded, and her face grew sad again._Is there really no hope?_

At this Edward laughed, though in it there was no joy. "You're the one who sees the future. You tell me."

"Would that I could, Edward," she replied, furious that her gift would abandon her when most needed.

"I know. No worries," he said, putting on a brave face. "Maybe the task won't be too difficult. Maybe...it'll be a piece of cake."

Alice smiled weakly, nodding her head. She tightly gripped Jasper's hand, wondering how in the world they were going to survive this time.

The plane landed in Rome, only for them to reconnect again to Florence. They rented a car, bypassing the city with its marbled Duomo and Michelangelo's David, silently driving toward another city they desperately did not want to enter.

Edward did not mind Alice and Jasper sitting together in the back, weaving their fingers together, whispering sweet words of unending adoration to each other. He tried to ignore them, keeping their thoughts out of his mind, and instead secure his attention on the road ahead. But it was difficult, for in their words and thoughts, his own feelings echoed to that of Bella. There was no desire that they wished for each other, that he did not desire for himself and Bella.

But another truth was unearthed. They would die trying to save him, if given the chance. This was not a surprise. He would gladly do the same for them. But in knowing their intention, he was already formulating a plan.

"There it is," Alice said, a note of fear in her voice, as all gazed out the window at a darkened city looming on the horizon lit only by a naked moon. The city lay sleeping as they approached it, winding up the snake-like road, up the hill, past the ancient stone wall, and into Volturi territory.

"I wonder if they know we're here already," Jasper said, looking cautiously into each dark alley the passed, only to find it empty.

"They know," Edward said, steering around each hairpin curve. "They're keeping their thoughts guarded, but not well enough. They know."

And then, like a capacious, Medieval penitentiary, the villa appeared, several of its windows glowing brightly in the night. Edward pulled the car up to the massive doors. They had not even time to get out before three cloaked figures appeared, two of whom were unknown to them, and one who was very familiar.

"Edward!" Felix cried, smiling as though seeing an old friend. "This is your sister, right? I believe we've met before..." Felix began to ogle Alice in a manner that made Jasper edge closer and closer to losing control.

"And this is her _**mate**_, Jasper," Edward said, putting a firm hand on Jasper's arm. It was enough of a reminder.

"Mate, huh?" Felix replied, easing off a bit. "Shame. Alright, follow me. You're expected. How was your flight?"

"Fine," Edward replied as they followed him past the guard and into a long corridor. He could not help but wonder at Felix and his casual manner. So far, it was quite different from the death sentence reception that he had expected._ Don't let yourself be manipulated_, he told himself.

"I always hate that flight," Felix prattled on, as though catching up on old times. "You guys all live so frigging far away! How you can suffer not to live in Europe is beyond me."

"There's more to life," Edward replied, memorizing the labyrinth of passageways as a last resort.

Felix snickered. "You sound just like Bella. Life, not existence. Say, how is my girl Bella, by the way?" he asked, stopping and turning to look directly into Edward's face.

The phrase 'my girl' did not escape Edward's notice. "She's fine," he said flatly.

"Does she miss Volterra at all?"

Edward thought a moment before answering. "No."

Felix laughed again, this time more openly still, and then continued walking. "Ah, she wasn't happy here. We all could see that. And she wouldn't be turned for anything. She was always good for a laugh, though."

A thought crossed Felix's mind so casually that he did not consider the danger at first. It was not until Edward suddenly stopped walking, and grabbed him by the arm. "What was that?!"

"Huh?" Felix said darkly, looking down at Edward's hand.

"Repeat what you were just thinking!" Edward ordered. He had not caught enough of the thought.

Felix stood there a minute, utterly confused. _What's the deranged lunatic on about now? Oh right, fuck. You can hear my thoughts, can't you?_

"Yes," Edward replied, "Repeat that previous thought now, please."

"Let go of my arm, and I might try to remember for you," Felix said. Outside of these walls and beyond his master's control, he would've treated Edward a bit more roughly for being manhandled. However, under these conditions, he would exercise a little self-restraint.

Edward obliged, and Felix appeared to relax, looking up at the ceiling as though trying to remember Einstein's theory of relativity, and not his own thoughts. _What was I thinking about? Bella, saucy little thing that she was..._

Edward's face contorted with rage, a pleasant side effect that Felix noticed.

_No, it wasn't that... Bella being unable to be tempted, even by Jane. And when Jane get's an idea into her head, boy! Look out!_

"You're straying off topic," Edward spat through his teeth.

_Really? Oh. Ummm... Was it Jacob, then? What did Jacob say about her?_

"That's it!" Edward snapped, his blood boiling. At once he not only heard Felix's thoughts, he heard Jacob's voice in the memory, seeing it play out in Felix's mind like a clip on YouTube.

"_**And besides," Jacob said, stopping at the door to Aro's study, "she wasn't prudish the last time I fucked her." **_

"Edward, what is it?" Alice asked, alarmed by the threatening discourse.

Felix laughed, but for once, looked a little bashful. "Oops." He could see Edward's rage about to blow, and decided to be kind for once. Not his usual mocking-self, but he had it in him. "Look, that wasn't something I intended you to hear. Cross my heart and hope to die," he added, not being able to contain his snigger.

"Oh, really?" Edward said, his eyes tenebrous and vengeful. "Well, where is Jacob Black? I believe I'd like a word with him."

It was at this point that Felix checked himself. "Enough talk," he said, his manner now back to business. "The masters are waiting."

They now walked with purpose, Alice and Jasper wondering what it was about Felix that had made Edward so upset. Edward was furious, not only with Jacob, but with himself. His calm manner now quite shattered, he no longer felt prepared, collected, rational. The clear head he had wanted was now befuddled with his own thoughts as to the truth of Jacob's accusation. But when at last they reached the great rooms, Edward shut Bella out of his mind. "Only you," Felix ordered, his hand on the door knob.

Edward nodded, as Alice and Jasper looked crestfallen. They could be no source of emotional support, or even help provide a united front. He would face the tigers alone, and they could not argue, or plead his case.

Felix pulled wide the door, and Edward entered, not nearly as prepared as he had wished.

"Ah, my dear Edward," Aro called upon seeing him, outstretching his arm in welcome. "You have arrived at last! Pleasant journey, I trust?"

"Thank you, yes," Edward replied, gazing about the room. It was circular, cast out of grey stone, with several curved windows which were now black with the night sky. The room appeared to be much like a conference room. Five lounge chairs sat in a circle, where two were already taken by Caius and Marcus.

Aro swung his arm forward, indicating the empty chairs. "Do make yourself comfortable."

Edward was more than taken aback. This was so completely opposite to his expectations, he could not help but be nervous for what this meeting entailed. "Thank you," he said, warily sitting down beside Aro.

Aro, turning to him once again, smiled. "I am most interested in hearing how you have been spending the gift we so kindly bestowed upon you." He held out his hand, and Edward realized that he didn't want verbal conversation, but mental, instead.

Edward reached out, their delicate-looking hands making contact. Aro's face was contemplative for a few moments, only to break out into a wide grin. "A wedding!" he said, withdrawing his hand. "That is felicitous! I await witnessing the event with eager anticipation!"

_Alice will be happy,_ Edward thought to himself. _It's definitely going to be a bigger wedding now. If I survive, that is... _"We would be most honoured by your presence, and would love for you to attend, of course."

"Thank you!" Aro replied. "I shall."

"Enough romantic notions," Caius said, his face forever cold and serious, "we must get to the task at hand."

"Edward," Aro said, still smiling, "I hope you will forgive my brother. He has no heart for romance. But, perhaps he is wise. I trust you are wondering our reason for inviting you here."

They paused, obviously waiting for a reply. "Yes, I have been wondering that," Edward thought it wisest to answer.

"A debt is owed to us," Caius said sternly.

"Yes, yes," Aro interrupted, waiving his hand at his brother. He preferred the opera to melodrama. "Edward knows this, Brother." He sighed, turning once again to their guest. "We have a problem, dear Edward. You are here to provide a solution."

Edward glanced at each of their faces. "Certainly. If that is what you command."

"It is," Caius said harshly.

"What is your problem?" Edward asked, dreading to hear where this conversation would lead.

Aro smiled, but there was no warmth in it. "It concerns a certain acquaintance of yours. I am certain you can guess as to my meaning."

"Jacob Black," Edward said, trying to read into their minds for more answers, but they were too guarded. They knew his gift too well.

"Yes, Jacob Black," Aro said, nodding slowly. "He has chosen to leave us. Naturally, you can see where our problem lies..."

Edward's mind was racing. What had Caius said that first meeting with Bella? What had he threatened? "Because he is human..."

"Correct," Aro said. "He has lived amongst us, knows our secrets. We cannot have a renegade loose such as that. It would be most imprudent..."

"But what of Demetri?" Edward countered. "You let him go free."

Caius smiled. Often, it seemed, Edward caught on to the exceptions of their rules. "That is different. Demetri is a vampire. To expose us is to expose himself. Demetri would not do this, not even in an effort to save his own life. Though no longer Volturi, we trust him still to keep our secrets. If we did not, we would not have let him go."

"Unfortunately," Aro added, "Jacob we do not trust."

Edward shifted uncomfortably in his seat. They waited patiently for him to ask his question, knowing it must come firstly from him. "What is it exactly that you wish me to do?"

"Hunt the animal down and kill him," Caius said, his ruby red eyes bearing no warmth of their fiery colour.

Edward tensed. "Why? You have other assassins here, probably more experienced at tracking him than me."

"Yes," Aro said smiling, "but we look upon it as doing you a favour, you see."

"A favour..." Edward repeated, nonplussed. He couldn't imagine a more undesired favour forced upon him to commit.

"Yes," Aro said, smiling, as though it were the most brilliant idea thought of. "Oh, we know how Bella adores her pet, but I assure you he is naught but trouble. The day we met at your father's house, I told you what you must do. Do you recall?"

"Yes, I remember."

"Yes. You were unwilling to do so at the time, for fear of what Bella would think. Understandable... Now, everyone may be happy! Jacob will be gone, and you need not fear her reprobation. The blame shall be ours, and I hardly think she will remain angry with us as long as she would you..."

"And if I do not succeed?" Edward asked, starting to feel thoroughly sick.

Caius's face was unforgiving. "Succeed or die, that is your choice."

Edward sat perfectly still, yet his mind was racing. Could he kill Jacob, even if it meant saving his own life? What he really needed was time. Time to confer with Alice and Jasper. Time to formulate a possible alternative. Rejecting their offer brought only death. Accepting it, brought time. "I shall succeed."

"Very good!" Aro said, his manner now sunny, as he rose from his chair. Taking the hint, Edward rose also. "Felix will give you all the particulars, as to last known whereabouts, and whatnot. You will contact him when the task is complete. Do you have any other questions for us, young Edward?"

"Just one. When this is done, when Jacob's dead, you hold no further bond over me. Is that correct?"

"Quite so!" Aro confirmed.

"Very well, then," Edward said, bowing his head slightly to the brethren before exiting out the door. Once again, Aro turned to his brothers. "Did I not tell you?"

Caius was as humourless as always. "We shall see. You have yet to convince me, Brother. You are merely playing at a game of chess."

"Yes," Aro said, smiling. "However, I believe I am rather good at it."

Meanwhile, Alice and Jasper were very happy to see their brother return alive, and seemingly unscathed. They were about to barrage him with questions when the look on his face spoke as clearly as his words. Not here, not now. They waited, saying nothing.

"My cell phone number," Felix said, handing over a card, and thick manilla envelope. "Inside, a detailed map of his last known whereabouts, and other effects."

"Thanks," Edward replied humourlessly.

Felix looked at Edward. _I don't envy you, ya know._

"Oh?" Edward replied. "Why?"

Felix smiled. _In five months, I've taught Mutt lots of stuff. Good luck getting him before he gets you._

Pocketing the card, he murmured, "I'll keep that in mind."


	35. Justifiable

**35. JUSTIFIABLE**

They raced with tumultuous speed out of Volterra, toward Florence and yet another plane. Alice turned around, gazing back at the still-sleeping city as the sky above them began to lighten. A new day was about to arise.

"Edward, what the hell is going on?!" she demanded, tugging on the shoulder of his shirt. "You need to stop the car."

"No time," Edward said, as though they were already late.

"Alice is right, " Jasper said firmly, giving the frenzied pair with him a full dose of his power. Reluctantly, Edward's foot eased up on the gas pedal, causing the car to slow down. Edward was fighting it, but he knew they were right. Not fifteen minutes ago, he had desperately wanted more time.

"Alright," he said, pulling the car off to the side of the road. He got out, desirous of air and space. Giving the neighboring fields a quick glance, he was grateful to discover that they were alone, too early yet even for the farmers. He raced into the meadow, stopping only when reaching a distant crumbling stone wall. Had he but known that very near that spot was where Bella and Jacob had shared a very intimate moment not five months before, his decision may have proven easier. But, as it was, a battle was raging within him.

Alice and Jasper were quick to catch up, neither out of breath despite the quick run.

"Now, Edward," Alice demanded. "Answers."

"Can't you see? What, no vision?" Edward asked, turning to her.

"A forest," Alice replied, all the more puzzled by her vision riddles. "Much good _**that**_ does me."

"Oh, right," Edward said, humorlessly smiling. "No, you wouldn't see it, would you?"

"Edward," Jasper said firmly, "We have been exceedingly patient. What happened in there?"

Edward swallowed. He was now very much wishing he had gone alone. This decision would've been easier without them. "I was given my task."

"You mean, it's not yet performed?" Alice asked. "What is it you have to do?"

"Find Jacob Black..." Edward replied through his gritted teeth, as though barely saying the name would make a difference as to what he thought of him.

"Oh!" Alice said, relieved. "That's not so bad!"

Yet, Jasper was more wary. He had been reading Edward's mood. There was much more to this than he wished to let on... "Only find him?"

Their eyes met, and Edward knew Jasper could not be so easily deceived. "Find him...and kill him."

"What?!" Alice gasped. "Edward, you can't! You swore! You swore you'd never kill another human again! I'm calling Carlisle..."

"No!" Edward said, quickly snapping away her phone. "He'll tell Bella. That would... She mustn't know."

"What the hell are you saying?" Alice cried. "Jacob's not my favourite person either, Edward, but he's _**human**_, and he's Bella's _**friend**_! You kill him and she'll never forgive you!"

"She's not going to find out," he replied, avoiding her penetrating gaze.

"I'll tell her! I swear I will! Don't you think I won't!" Alice threatened, desperate to say something, anything, that would force some reason into him.

Jasper looked at him, his face the calm polar opposite of Alice's hysterics. "If you do not kill him, what happens then? Did they tell you?"

"I die," Edward replied, now looking Alice straight in the eye. "He dies, or I die, Alice. Tell me, which would you choose?"

Her agitated manner deflated, turning morose and quiet. "That's your choice?"

"That's my choice," Edward confirmed, nodding his head once.

"There's got to be some other way..." Alice said, her mind racing trying to think of any alternative that could save them both. "Maybe if you found him, and convinced him to go back..."

"Would _**you**_ go back?" Edward asked, one eyebrow raised. "If you were Jacob, now free, would you? I can't believe he lasted as long as he did! It's a miracle he didn't insult them, and then get ripped to shreds! More's the pity, for now we're on a merry chase off to _**Poland**_ of all places, trying to hunt down a werewolf that probably wants _**me**_ dead as much I do him!" He paused, breathing deeply, awaiting their arguments, but they never came. Both Alice and Jasper merely stared at him, grateful they were not in his shoes. "But, hey! I'm open to suggestions! Fire away!"

Jasper was the first to respond. "I think you should do it."

"Jasper!" Alice snapped, appalled that he had sided against her. "Why?!"

He could see the pain this division caused, but like always, Jasper told her the truth. "What other alternatives are there, Alice? In a 'kill, or be killed' scenario, it's a lose-lose situation! Edward, are you prepared to die to save him?"

"To save Jacob?" Edward said, his eyes narrow little slits. "No way." Especially not after what Felix had said...

But Alice wasn't ready to give up yet. Bella was her sister now, married to Edward or not! She would want Alice to fight for her, to fight for what she believed in, and would have wanted. To fight for what was humanely right. "Look, I'm not saying I agree or disagree. I'm just saying, are you open to options? It may take us weeks to find him!"

"Us?" Edward repeated. "I don't think so. You two are going home."

"Like hell we are," Jasper replied, his face now firmly resolute. "We're going along, if for nothing else, to prevent Jacob killing you."

"I can handle Jacob," Edward retorted confidently.

"We're going, Edward," Alice said, her face equally as determined. "And I'll have my eye so tuned on you, don't even think about giving us the slip."

Edward smiled, and could not help but be grateful that he would not be alone. Whatever the decision and outcome, right or wrong, at the very least, they would be with him.

"Use my cell phone," Alice said, gently. "Call Bella."

"I'm not telling her..." he said bitingly, fearful of her reaction.

"I know," Alice said, "I've heard the conversation already. She'll be suspicious, though, so make it good. I only hope she'll forgive you one day."

Edward stared down at the silver phone in his hand, and flipped it open. Never would he have imagined that he would dread calling her. He longed to hear her soft, sweet voice, fretting over his life and limb. How would she react if he were to tell her the truth? She would beg him not to do it, that much was certain. But what could he do? What were his options? The question then came to him. What would he do to stay with Bella? And then the answer came with a fiery roar. Anything. He would do whatever it took. Including, killing her best friend.

Pressing the number on speed dial, he rang her cell phone. On the first ring, she answered it. "Hello?!" she called out, her frenzied voice near uncontrollable.

He could not help but smile. He closed his eyes, imagining she were but an arm's length away, just out of reach. "Hello, my love."

"Oh! Edward!" she cried, the relief emanating through her voice, along with a short hysterical laugh. "Oh my God! I've been so worried! Is it over? Is it done? Did you kill Jane? Please say you did!"

"It wasn't nearly as bad as all that," he said, wishing he could but reach through the phone and brush her soft cheek. "I've been given instructions. Nothing to worry about at all. Piece of cake, the whole thing. Got all blown out of proportion. Big fuss over nothing, honest."

"Really?" she asked, and he sensed there the suspicion that Alice had mentioned. Perhaps he had overdone it a bit...

"Well, I may be gone for a week or so, that's all. We're going to Poland."

"Poland?! What's in Poland?"

Edward hesitated a fraction of a second. Could he fake it? "Jacob. He's run off. I'm to convince him to go back to Volterra."

Silence ensued over the phone. Edward waited anxiously. Did she buy it?

"Run off? Well, Demetri did say he may be in trouble, but why would he leave like that? Did Aro say why?"

"No."

"Oh. Well, I hope...you'll be safe, and go easy on him."

"I will. I promise." That lie hurt. A promise he was already planning to break. "I'm sorry, Bella, but we really should get a move on. Have a plane to catch."

"Oh, okay. When will you call again?"

"Soon."

"I miss you," she said, her voice radiating all her heartache for being separated from him.

"I miss you, too," he replied, feeling a pang in his cold, dead heart.

"Okay. Goodbye. Oh! And Edward?"

"Yes?"

"You will be careful, won't you? I mean, what if he refuses to go back with you?"

"Trust me, Darling. I'll see that he doesn't. Goodbye." She too bid goodbye, and he clicked off the phone. _**May both God and you forgive me.**_


	36. When It Rains

**36. WHEN IT RAINS**

Demetri had been standing in front of Bella during the entirety of her conversation with Edward, listening intently with expert ears. He had missed little, and for one thing he was certain. As Bella closed her cell phone with a snap, she looked up at him, her brow furrowed.

"He lied to you," Demetri blurted out, his eyes fearful.

Bella felt as though Demetri had smacked her, yet in the pit of her stomach, she had suspected it herself. "What? What are you talking about? How do you know?"

Demetri swallowed. This was harder than he had thought. "I called Felix again, and hounded him until he told me what was going on. Edward's been sent to find Jacob, yes, but not to bring him back to Volterra. To get rid of him. Permanently."

That, Bella had not expected. She shuddered involuntarily, her brain struggling to put together a coherent thought. "I don't believe you."

"It's true."

"No," Bella said, shaking her head. "He wouldn't do that. He wouldn't lie to me like that. He wouldn't...kill...Jacob..."

"He doesn't have a choice, Bella," he turned his face toward the ceiling. He had never wanted to hurt her. That had never been his intention... "Look, I know you won't believe me..." he said, pulling out his phone and hastily dialing a number. "Felix. It's Demetri," he said, choosing to bypass the eavesdropping Gianna and go straight to the source. "Yeah, hey. Listen. Remember that favour you owe? Yes, that's the one. Yes, I know. You owe me big. Well, time to pay up. I need you to talk to Bella and tell her the truth."

Bella could not help but tremble as she stood staring up at him in harrowed awe.

"No, I'm not kidding around!" Demetri barked, making Bella jump. "You owe me, and this is what I'm asking!" Demetri stared into Bella's eyes. "No, if we can keep this to ourselves, I'd really appreciate it. Okay. Here she is."

Demetri handed Bella the phone, and with a shaking hand, she took it, holding it up to her ear. "Hello?"

"Bella, Baby!" Felix's smooth voice hummed despite being thousands of miles away. "I've missed you. Volterra's no fun without you, ya know..."

"Yeah, I...miss you too," was her reflex reply, her brain still trying to catch up to what Demetri had said five minutes ago. Edward...to _**kill**_ Jacob? Had she heard him right?! "Listen, Felix, you saw Edward, right?"

"Sure did. Ya know, he's about as much fun as the plague..."

Bella shook her head, fighting back biting his head off, and instead replied, "What did Aro tell him to do?"

"Uh...I'm not really supposed to say..."

"Please, Felix," she begged, closing her eyes. At this moment, she would have got down on her knees if she'd thought it would help. "Please, Felix! I have to know. PLEASE!"

"You don't want to know, Bella. I mean, not really."

"Just tell me, Goddamn it, Felix, or so help me I will fly over there and kick your ass! ARE YOU LISTENING TO ME?!"

Unbelievably, Felix began to laugh. "Always were the spitfire. Alright then, but remember, you asked to hear this. Well, it seems Mutt's worn out his welcome, so to speak. Edward's gone to take care of business."

"Be specific," she ordered, needing to hear the words.

"Edward's gone to kill him, Bell. Yeah, I know it's sad, I kinda liked the kid too, despite the fleas. It's just one of those things. No fuss, no muss. Right?"

Without another word, Bella snapped the phone closed. Her menacing eyes turned to Demetri as he took back his phone. "Bella, I'm sorry," he said, his eyes truly meaning it.

She nodded her head, while inside the motion caused her brain to swim, making the room move. She had to focus; she had to think! She wanted to talk to Edward, demand the truth out of him, but couldn't build up the courage to call him. No more lies...

"Bella?" Demetri said, putting his hand on her shoulder to steady her. If he had not known better, he would have suspected she were about to faint.

Suddenly, the land line rang. Esme answered it in the kitchen.

"Bella!" he called again, snapping her from her mental befuddlement. "Are you okay?"

"Fine," she replied impulsively. But she was far from fine. What on earth would she do?

Suddenly, Esme appeared, phone in hand. "Bella?" she said, and as Bella looked up, she was surprised to see Esme so startled. _Is it my face?_ Bella wondered._Do I look as shocked as I feel?_

"Bella," Esme called again, her eyes wide. "Phone for you."

"Is it Edward?" Bella asked, her mind slow and uncooperative. "I just spoke to him..."

"No," Esme said, terrified as she handed Bella the phone. "It's your father. It's Charlie."

Bella's breathing stopped altogether. It was as though she had been doused in cold water, and was suddenly awake and petrified. What nightmare had she wandered into? What horrible alternate universe was she in where everything went completely and horribly wrong? "What?! How did he get the number? How did he find me?"

"I don't know," Esme whispered. "He didn't want to talk to me, Bella. He wants to talk to you."

Shaking slightly, Bella held the phone up to her ear. "Hello?" she breathed, barely able to say a single word.

"Bella?" Charlie's voice rang loud and true through the phone. "Is that you?"

"Yeah, Dad, it's me," she said, happy and miserable at the same time. It had been so long since she had heard his voice.

And then, the flood gates broke.

"Young lady, have you any idea what you have put your mother and me through this past year?! Do you have any conception of how worried we've been, when not _**once**_ have you called to let us know you're alright?! No word, no note, you just up and leave! You don't have the slightest care for either of us do you? For an entire year we've been worried sick, neither knowing for sure if you were alive or dead! _**WELL?!**_ What in God's name do you have to say for yourself?!"

"Dad, I'm sorry...I..." her voice cracked, and she let out a dry sob. Oh, to feel the relief of tears, but no. They would never come again.

"Is it a _**CULT**_?! Is that it? Some kind of wacko cult?!"

"What?! No!" Bella cried. She wasn't sure how she was going to explain, or even fabricate a lie, but in the end, he never gave her the chance. The barrage of questions and accusations continued on, taking a startling turn.

"Is Jake with you?"

"Wh...Jake? No."

"Honestly, Bella, I don't know what's with you kids today! Poor Billy's terrible sick with worry over Jacob! Angry as hellfire at you, for some reason. Didn't seem to matter when I reminded again that Jacob left _**first**_! And then you know what he had the audacity to try and feed me?"

_Oh God_, Bella thought. Did she really want to know? Could this get any worse? "What?"

Charlie paused. He seemed to be distracted, or building his courage. "Does the word _**'vampire'**_ mean anything to you?"

Bella could not help but gasp. "Dad..." was all she could reply. All other words in the English language had abandoned her, leaving her stranded.

"To hell with this! I'm coming to get you! Let them try to stop me!"

"Dad! No! It's not a cult, honest! It's just...this isn't a good time..."

"Well, when _**has**_ been a good time, Bella? Everything from your sporadic email to never calling, what are we to think? You stay put! You hear me?! I'm coming right now!"

"No, wait, Dad! I'm serious!" Bella cried. Everything was falling apart. What the hell would happen when Charlie showed up at her front door, garlic and Holy water in hand, while somewhere in Poland, Edward, her lover, her husband-to-be, was murdering her best friend?

Charlie didn't wait to argue. It seemed he had reached the end of what he could bear. He hung up.

"Oh God," Bella whispered as the phone in her hand began to beep incessantly. "Oh God, Esme, he's coming! I couldn't stop him!" Bella began to shake, and without hesitation Esme pulled her close, wrapping her arms around her.

"Shhh! It's okay, Bella!" she said, gently rocking her. "It'll all be alright. Everything will be alright."

Oh, how badly Bella wanted to truly believe it, but deep inside her she knew it wouldn't be. How was all of this mess to be made right?

Emmett and Rosalie strode in from hunting, their eyes now pale gold. Emmett gazed at Bella close to the breaking point, and feared the worst. "What's wrong? Is it Edward? What's going on?" Demetri leaned over, whispering the recent events to the pair. "No shit!"

"I...I...think I need...to lie down," Bella gasped in between sobs.

"Do you want me to sit with you?" Esme offered, her kind eyes worried about her youngest daughter.

"No, thank you," Bella said, shaking her head. "I just...need a minute..."

Escaping to her room, Bella stood behind the closed door for several minutes, her mind a tornado of thought. Charlie was coming... And worse than that, he knew. But, didn't believe...yet.

It couldn't be helped. It was unfortunate, she desperately wanted to see him again, but that was not her immediate concern. There was no life or death dilemma there. There was, however, with Jacob and Edward.

What to do? What to do? And then, all at once, as though the idea had been there all along, she grabbed a small bag, tossing clothes, her phone, wallet, passport, anything that seemed useful into it. She opened her window, and without a second thought, jumped.

Esme, meanwhile, had been frantically pacing. How she wished Carlisle was home! There was still nearly four hours left to his shift; she longed to feel the calming steadiness he radiated, making all her worries melt away. Luckily, she felt certain that Charlie could not get there before Carlisle's return.

She heard a car in the driveway, and looking out, saw not Carlisle's car, but Bella's, Edward's belated birthday present to her. "That's odd... I wonder where Bella's going..."

Demetri did not waste a moment. Within a flash, he was there, bag in hand, watching Bella's taillights fade down the driveway.

"What?! What's going on?" Esme said, confused. "Where are you going?!"

"After Bella," Demetri said, pulling on his coat. "No worries. We'll call soon." Demetri paused in front of Esme, as though he desperately wished to tell her something.

"I know, Demetri," she replied, confused by his distress.

But, he merely shook his head, struggling for words. "I promise to take care of her as best I can," he whispered, placing a tender hand on her shoulder, and rushed out into the night.

Bella had tried to remain calm the entire way to the airport. She couldn't start crying now, for she knew once she started, her uncontrollable fears would take hold, and she'd never be able to stop.

Mostly, she thought of Edward. Try as she might to blame him for the lying and deceit, she couldn't. Eight months of living with the Volturi had taught her a great deal about their Medieval methods and beliefs. They would have no qualms or regrets to use any of their minion, vampire soldiers for their purposes. And if one or another of them were killed, she could almost hear Aro's lament in her head. _"Yes, that is a pity, and I dislike waste above all things. But you know, my dear Bella, he was expendable anyway."_

Expendable. That's what they all were to them. Edward did not matter, nor Jacob. But _**she**_ did. Aro had always wanted her. This was her trump card. Her one hand to play. The one difference that could change everything, save everyone. If she could only get there in time before Edward found Jacob...

She was glad Alice could not see this move now. Glad that she was doing it on her own, no help from anyone. She could almost hear Edward's voice now, _"Bella, are you crazy?! Go to Volterra, and I'll never get you back! DON'T DO THIS!" _But she _**would**_ do it, and without hesitation to save the two people she loved most.

She parked her car in the long-term parking lot. Who knows _**when**_ she'd be back to collect it, if at all. The plane ticket purchased, she trudged her way through security, past the scanners and metal detectors. But as she approached the gate, she stopped, completely taken aback. There, in front of her, stood Demetri.

She approached him slowly. He wouldn't cause a scene, and she wouldn't leave quietly... "What are you doing here?"

Demetri's stone-like face cracked into a grin. "You know, it's a good thing you drive like a senior citizen, Bella. Gave me a chance to catch up. I had a feeling you'd be heading to Volterra instead of Poland," he said, holding up a plane ticket. "However, I bought one for Warsaw too, just in case."

"You..." Her eyes studied his face to find the deception. "What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you."

Bella looked at him incredulously. "To Volterra? You're not even going to try and take me home?" She wouldn't for a second put kidnaping past _**him**_...

But Demetri merely shook his head. "I know what you've got to do. To save someone you love...no. I wouldn't stop you from that."

She smiled, for once grateful that she didn't need to beg, or come up with some elaborate scheme to lose him. "Edward's going to be furious with you, you know..."

"Let me worry about Edward," Demetri said. "You worry about Caius."

"Deal," Bella said, smiling. Maybe, despite everything, there still was a shot in hell.


	37. Helpless

**37. HELPLESS**

It tore Edward up inside to lie to Bella. Long had he wanted to kill Jacob, the source for much pain and frustration, but he was also a realist. Jacob had saved Bella's neck more than once, and he couldn't fault him for loving her. And now, Edward himself owed Jacob his life. And yet, he was on a plane bound for Warsaw with the pure intention of murdering his saviour.

Alice sat beside him across the aisle, eyes closed, focussed on extricating any kind of vision that could save Jacob's life. Edward couldn't blame her, but he had resigned himself to the Volturi way of thinking. They would never just let him off the hook. They had before - twice. Not this time. Jacob was doomed, and no amount of visions could save him now.

Jasper sat beside him in the window seat, the shade pulled low, his thoughts a flurry of tactical possibilities.

"Yes, I thought of that," Edward said, answering his thoughts. "But if it _**was**_ a trap, why wouldn't they have just killed me in Volterra? Doesn't make sense. They had me right where they could finish me off. No, this is genuine. They want Jacob gone, and they want _**me**_ do it."

_Did the Volturi give you any kind of time deadline?_ Jasper pondered.

"No, I see what you mean. Yes, we do have that advantage..."

_It's not like Jacob would just stand around waiting for us. Europe is a big place. He could be anywhere. He may have even gone home..."_

"Not possible," Edward said, reaching into his pocket.

_Why do you think so?_

"Because Felix gave me his passport," he said, holding it up.

That information didn't stop Jasper from being further baffled. _That doesn't make sense, Edward. Why would he have given you Jacob's passport if you're only meant to kill him?_

Edward had been so focussed on his intended mission, he hadn't thought logically about Felix's action at all. But now that Jasper pointed it out, what the hell _**did**_ it mean?

_I don't like it, _Jasper thought, furrowing his brow. _We are not in control of the situation. We are merely pawns in a game of chess. But for what outcome? What are the brethren up to?_

"I don't know," Edward said, shaking his head, and feeling an ever more sense of dread. "They kept their minds very closed... And Felix, what he was thinking... A perfect distraction. Oh, I'm such an _**idiot**_!" He clenched his teeth together. He had swallowed the bait perfectly. The memory was clear as crystal. Jacob had really said those words, but Edward's mind had been so full of questioning the truth of such an allegation, he had failed to pay closer attention to what was going on around him.

_And, what had Felix been thinking?_ Jasper asked, turning toward him curiously.

But Edward merely shook his head. "Bella's secret. She probably never wanted me to know."

_Ah. Secrets and lies... It would seem, then, that even she cannot hide the truth from you._

"Forget it! Let's get back to work! This doesn't change anything. We still need to find Jacob, regardless of why, or me having his passport!"

_It will be very difficult tracking him. He's had several days head start in front of us. And if he's caught a train, his scent will lead to a dead end. Or, perhaps it has rained. Or..._

"Yes, I know," Edward said, closing his eyes. Even with Jasper and Alice, it would not be any easier finding his quarry.

_What we need...is Demetri. He'd be able to find Jacob anywhere. Unless...have they even met?_

Edward's eyes flashed open. Of course! Demetri! And yes, they _**had**_ met, to a degree. They had both been in the arena that same day! Edward pulled out his cell phone, but Jasper was quick to rebuke.

"You can't use a cell phone on a plane, Edward."

"Oh, right..." he reached onto his armrest, picking up the plane phone. Sliding his credit card through, he punched in the numbers, and let the phone ring only to hang up after getting the answering machine. "No answer. That's weird, don't you think?"

_Hmm... A little peculiar. Call home. Maybe he's on the phone..._

"Of course," Edward said, shaking his paranoid head. He repeated the process, and again the phone rang. Esme answered it, sounding slightly harassed.

"Esme, it's Edward."

"Oh! Edward, thank God! You wouldn't believe... What a mess we're in! _**Charlie's**_ here!"

Edward nearly dropped the phone. "Charlie? Charlie's there now? How's Bella?"

Esme took a moment to reply. She loved her son, and was no mind reader, but was pretty sure of his impending reaction. "She's not here, Edward. She left."

Edward felt as though he had been punched in the stomach by a transport truck. He doubled over in the plane seat, gasping for air.

"Edward!" Jasper called. "What is it? What's wrong?"

But Edward could only shake his head, and feel as though he were about to be violently ill. "Where is she?" he said hoarsely, his voice quite altered.

Esme sighed. The house was in complete uproar. Charlie was screaming bloody murder while Carlisle attempted to reason with the poor man, Bella was gone, and Edward was God-knows-where in peril. "I'm sorry, Edward," she said, upset. "She left before I could even get a chance... She was on the phone, and then Charlie called, and everything fell apart. She snuck out... Then, Demetri went after her..."

"No, Esme, it's okay," he said, sitting back in his seat, putting on a brave face. "No, I don't blame you at all, don't be silly. Bella is...impulsive. It's okay. I'll find out where's she's gone. Alright? I'll keep in touch. Bye."

He clicked the phone off, and returned it to the armrest, his eyes clenched tightly shut as he struggled to slow his breathing.

"Bella's gone?" Jasper asked softly after a minute's silence.

"Yes. Demetri's gone after her, thank God," Edward replied, his lower lip twitching. "She knows. She's got to. She must've found out somehow... We've..." he said, opening his eyes, "we've got to get off this plane."

"Whoa, hold on there, Edward! We are going to Warsaw whether you like it or not. You can't change that now. She may be headed to Poland too, for all we know. Maybe she's coming to stop us. Call her."

Edward chastised himself for not thinking of the obvious sooner, and once again waited with a ringing phone to his ear.

"No answer," Edward said, hanging up the phone, feeling as though he were quickly going insane.

"They're most likely on a plane, and can't answer their phones. We'll try again when we get to Warsaw. Okay?"

Edward nodded, and turned to look at Alice, who had remained perfectly still throughout the entire conversation, unaware in her trance-like state.

"Alice!" he said, reaching over and shaking her arm. "Look to Demetri's future!"

"What?" she said, shaking the darkness from her head. "What's going on?"

"They're gone," he said, his voice hollow and heartbroken. "Bella and Demetri. They must know, must've found out about Jacob...what we have to do... It's the only logical explanation. Just...try for me. Please!"

Alice's already sad face grew grim looking at him. He was frantic, and Jasper looked equally concerned. "Alright," she said. "I'll try."

The minutes in which Edward and Jasper waited were agonizing, but they had nowhere to go, and no distractions to occupy them. But as a vision slowly formed out of the dark mist in Alice's consciousness, it brought no comfort of any kind.

_**Demetri stood alone in a hallway, as though waiting for someone.**_

Edward had seen it, and could not contain his disappointment. "That's it?!" he yelled, frightening several passengers, and earning himself a disapproving look from the already irritable flight attendant.

"I'm sorry, Edward!" Alice said, flustered. "I'll try again."

More minutes passed in which time seemed to crawl to all but a halt, but no matter how she focussed or tried, that one image of Demetri waiting was the only thing that would appear. "He must not have made a decision yet. Nothing that will lead him past that point. I'll keep trying..."

But her attempts proved fruitless, and Edward knew they would be. If Demetri and Bella were stuck on a plane somewhere, they would have a long way to go before a new decision was posed for them. Edward had seen the vision in his mind, and no matter how he studied it, it would not give him any answers. A hallway. A perfectly nondescript hallway that could be anywhere, not necessarily at the Villa de Volturi. He prayed that it wasn't, that she was coming to him. To talk some sense into him, trying to prevent him killing Jacob. But somehow, deep in the pit of his stomach, he knew the worst. Bella was of the kind to take matters into her own hands. And that meant only one thing.

The Volturi.


	38. Honesty

**38. HONESTY**

Bella and Demetri left Newark, heading once again for Italy. How altered she felt since the last flight going there... So much had happened, so many things had changed. And yet, others had miraculously stayed the same, or somehow even gotten better.

Of course, that was all over with now. She would be forced to give up Edward again, this time for good. Aro would see to that. He would have his pet, his muse. He had been kind to her, much like a doting grandfather, but she couldn't move past the feeling of being maneuvered, manipulated. As though the past year was some grand arrangement. A build up, but for what purpose?

To have her completely? For her to feed on humans as they do? For her not to question their methods or decisions? To become like all the others before her? Just another vampire toy soldier?

She shook her head, and could not help but grow painfully depressed. She had been so close to real happiness. The wedding was less than a month away. Postponed yet again, with no rain-date in sight.

Aro had once told her that forever was a long time to give thanks. He couldn't have been more right. But as she sat there, her life crumbling into oblivion, she couldn't help but be thankful that this time she wasn't alone. That through it all, Demetri was there.

She turned toward him. He seemed to be suffering as much as she, as he watched her fade away before his eyes. "It will be alright," he said firmly. If only the look in his eyes showed any belief in the words on his lips.

"If I stay in Volterra, you won't leave me, will you?" she asked. It may have been selfish, it may have been for no other reason than for her own comfort, but she didn't care. She just couldn't be left alone and friendless in that place. Once again her and Jane, separated only by Felix. _**Nightmare...**_

"I go where you go," he answered, taking her hand, and looking away. "I swear to you."

Bella smiled, and enjoyed the shred of comfort that he could offer. He was no Edward, or even Jacob, but he loved her as though she were family, and that was enough.

Suddenly, Demetri's phone began to vibrate madly in his pocket. He pulled it out, staring at the unfamiliar number on the caller window. "I don't recognize this number..."

"You can't answer it anyway," Bella said. "We're on a plane. No cell phones, remember?"

Demetri frowned at it another moment. He had an uneasy suspicion he knew the caller's identity.

A minute went by, when Bella's phone likewise began to madly sound off. She too looked at her phone with similar curiosity. "Same number."

"It's Edward. He knows, then, that you've left."

"Oh," Bella said, her heart sinking. She knew it had been a long shot, but she had hoped to reach Volterra and talk with the masters _**before**_ telling Edward her plans.

He would be going absolutely mental right now, she was sure of it. He hadn't used his cell phone... He must be traveling too, then. Him leaving Italy, her once again traveling toward it. Would he ever understand why she was doing this? What would his reaction be? He wouldn't stay away from her this time. Risking life and eternity, he would go to her, even if it meant going to his death. Was she going to save Jacob, merely to kill Edward?

The plane ride had been one of agonizing duration, so opposite to the last flight, leaving Italy with Edward. Now she seemed to be reliving history, and that thought terrified her. Eight months with the Volturi seemed to expand for decades. _How long would eight decades feel?_ she thought miserably. _Or eight centuries? Would it never end?_

When at last they landed in Rome at the Leonardo da Vinci airport and waited for their connecting flight to Florence, Bella was given a moment alone to call her beloved. She sat there, phone in hand, and reluctantly dialed. It rang, and he picked it up on the third ring. She could sense the anxiety in his voice, and felt the tension as though it were pulling her toward him from afar. "Hi Edward. It's me."

"Bella. Where are you?" he demanded.

_Oh God..._ she thought, strangely growing more calm by the minute. Just to hear his voice, perhaps for the last time. Just to remember why she was doing this. No, it was worth it. "In Rome. We're catching the next flight to Florence in twenty minutes. Where are you?"

"Warsaw. Listen to me. Don't go anywhere. I'm coming to get you."

"No, Edward. Not this time."

"Bella, listen to me! You don't have to do this. We'll find another way. Alice and Jasper are working on some ideas. Just _**wait**_, and I'll be there in three hours, max."

"I'm sorry, Edward," she said, her voice cracking. "I don't blame you, you know. I understand. You gotta do what you gotta do. Just like I have to do what I have to do. I just hope I can convince them to change their minds...about both of you."

"Bella, NO!"

"It was a nice dream. But, it was just a dream, Edward. I always knew you were too good to be real for me."

"Bella, don't. Please. I _**beg**_ you..."

"I love you. Don't come after me," she whispered, closing her eyes, and sending a kiss to him on the connection through the phone. She could still hear him screaming long after she had hung up and turned off her phone, and knew he was as tortured as though Jane were beside him, crouching like a spider, casting her malicious web of hate.

Demetri approached her, bags in hand, his face decidedly downcast. "It's not too late, Bella. Catch a connecting flight. You can still go to him."

"I can't change what needs to be changed in Poland, and you know it. No, Demetri," she said, shaking her head. "That won't solve anything. If Edward doesn't do it, they'll just send Jane, or Felix, or someone else to kill them both. No way. My mind's made up. No turning back, now."

He sighed, knowing she was right. They were in far too deep to consider changing their minds. The die had been cast, and they were now forced to move. "I called Gianna. She's sending a car."

"Okay," Bella said, once again feeling the prison walls close in around her. This time, there would be no escape. She would be imprisoned forever.

The final boarding call sounded, and they reluctantly joined the line. For once, their plane was on time, so Aro need not wait. Privately, Bella wondered if a string had been pulled... She wouldn't put anything past Aro...

And, sure enough, upon landing in Florence, there sat a sleek limo with a very vampire-looking driver. "Demetri, Bella," he said, greeting them.

"Angelo," Demetri said, stepping into the open door. Bella climbed in after him, and at once they were off, driving into the night toward uncertainty.

"Are you scared?" Demetri asked. Indeed, he appeared more frightened than Bella. Of course, she had not the least doubt that _**he**_ would be welcomed back with open arms...

"No," she said, speaking in half-truths. "I guess I'm scared that I won't be able to save them. That...this will all be in vain..."

Demetri seemed to be struggling for words. Several times he opened his mouth, only to close it again a second later. "You have a strong hand to play, Bella. Use it for all that it's worth."

"What do you mean?" Bella asked, shaking her head, confused.

Demetri sighed. Obviously, he wished his riddles were less cryptic.

Bella wondered if old ties to the Volturi did not fade with time. He must know a great deal of their secrets, but be under strict orders to _**never**_ repeat them. Somehow, he understood the key to her survival, she knew it. He perceived a way in which to save everyone. "You can't tell me, can you?" she asked softly.

She may as well have hit him, for the way he looked at her, fearful that he had somehow said too much, but guilty for not saying enough. "No."

"That's okay, Demetri," she said smiling, taking his hand. "Don't stress over it. Really. It'll all be over with soon enough." She turned her head to look out the window, watching the fields and houses whip past. "After tonight, it'll all be settled, one way or another."

Demetri clenched his jaw shut, aching for being unable to speak the words he so desperately wanted her to hear. But in what felt like no time at all, they could see Volterra looming on the nearby hill.

The city itself had not changed at all in the five months she had been away, except that the flowers had now blossomed, cascading over the window boxes in every window, their vibrant colours masked by the murky darkness. Time evaporating in their grasp, they were already pulling up to the villa doors. One swung wide, and two cloaked guards stepped outside, along with a third companion.

Jane's smug little face greeted Bella as she stepped out of the car. "Demetri. Bella," Jane's child-like voice called. Though, one thing was clear. There was a sharp edge to it. "Our masters are expecting you. Follow me," she commanded, a villainous grin spreading onto her face.

And, without choice or desire, they did.


	39. Lone Wolf

**39. LONE WOLF**

For a long time, all Jacob could hear were three things: his pounding heart nearly ready to explode, his panting breath, and his stomping feet each time they trod onto the soft forest floor. He ran for well over an hour in human form, not risking taking the time to stop and undress. He had been sorely tempted just to explode into the wolf, but his bag now far behind him, his only possessions were the ones he had on.

He stopped and sniffed the air. He couldn't smell Jane or Felix behind him. He had become so used to their scents, he felt certain that he'd be able to identify them within five hundred yards, perhaps farther. All the same, he had no wish to test his theory.

At times he was forced to run at a human pace, when the forest came to an end, and the city lay looming in the distance. He crossed town, street, and country road, heading what he believed was east. He wasn't altogether sure why he was moving in that direction. As far as he could remember, the only places east were Russia, China, and the Pacific Ocean. It had been the opposite direction of those chasing him, and that was reason enough.

And then there was another, more weightier problem. His passport had been in his knapsack. The knapsack that he ran right past in his effort to flee the murderous Jane and Felix. The knapsack that also carried his phone, clothes, and cash. He was stranded, and in a country where he didn't even speak the language.

That night, despondent and alone, he changed back into a wolf, laying atop of his clothes for comfort. But even as a wolf, he could not sleep. What was he to do now? Where was he to go? Whom could he trust?

It had been a hard realization that he was in a foreign country with alien ways, not knowing a single Polish word, hungry and forsaken. The world around him all at once seemed to quadruple in size, and he became as a flea on an elephant, witless as to which direction to turn to, or who to call for help.

Would he have to panhandle for money and food? Beg to use the phone? He supposed he could hunt as a wolf if need be... That might sustain him for a while, but what of later? How long would he be forced to live in the wild, an animal? Winter was only three short months away... There had been a time when he longed to just remain a lone wolf, apart and detached from the wretched world.

That was no longer the case. At least, not in Poland. Despite the Volturi having been vampires, his enemies, he had enjoyed the sensation of belonging to a group again, a pack. Now, completely and wretchedly lost, he had never felt so alone in his life.

Five days passed in which he moved ever eastward, eating wild game, and drinking from polluted ponds and runoffs. In the end, he carried his pants in his mouth, a habit he greatly disliked, but it had been a long time since he had carried his leather string with him. No, if he wanted pants for sometime in the future, he'd have to taste them. The shirt and shoes he was forced to abandon.

A person can do a lot of soul searching during five lonely days in an expansive, foreign wilderness. Mostly, though, he thought of Bella. He thought of her phone call, and how he now wished he had called her back. What would she have said? That she missed him? That she...loved him?

A strangled growl escaped his muzzled mouth filled with dirty jean. As he loped along, away from the fading sunset, he could not think, could not hope any longer for Bella to return to him as she had always done. There must come a time when a line would be drawn, so it might as well be here.

Besides, it wasn't as though he'd ever see her again, was it? Not with an obsessive, paranoid, self-righteous, possessive, bloodsucking leech of a boyfriend, anyway. While under Edward's dictatorial thumb, there would never be any room in her life for Jacob. And he knew it. All too well, in fact...

Another day passed, another night alone in the dark to look forward to. He got in the habit of changing back at least once a day into human form, just to remind himself that he was still human. Having just left a highly populated area, he was now immensely desirous of returning back into a wolf, and get a few hours shut eye.

He had just transformed when he halted, frozen. Floating out of the murky darkness, a whisper sounded. He didn't think much of it at first, for it was barely an audible sound, much like a radio far away. The voice was undeniably female, but still too distant to understand. He shook his head, trying to dispel the curious sound from his ears.

_Ktaw taam?_ the ghostly voice whispered, now slightly louder. He could just make out the sounds, but they still didn't make any sense. He raised his head, listening harder still as the wind rustled the leaves high above him.

_Ktaw taam?_ the voice repeated, clearly as though its owner were standing right next to him. Jacob strode from the base of the trees, his ears now perked to every movement in the forest. His heart began to race. Someone, _**something**_, was out there.

Impulsively, he spun about, his eyes searching into the depths of the forest, unsure of which way to turn.

Now, a new voice called out through the darkness. A deeper, male voice, but still soft and hesitant. _Zdraast vooee che? _

Fighting the urge to turn tail and run, Jacob reemerged human, tugging his pants back on in one swift motion. Gazing about him, he screamed out into the cavernous forest. "Who's out there?! What do you want?!"

He waited, his chest heaving up and down with each nervous breath, but no response came.

And then, tentatively stepping out of the shadows not twenty feet in front of him drew three slender figures. Jacob stared, blinking, thinking he had somehow lost his mind. He lifted his head, attempting to catch their scent on the breeze.

The centre figure, smaller than the others, shifted forward, stepping into the basting moonlight, the soft glow turning her blond hair white in the darkness. Her face was a perfect oval, but her eyes, shadowed from the moonbeams, stared at Jacob curiously. "Hello," she said, her voice thick with an undistinguishable dialect.

Several moments passed where none dared move. Both strangers seemed to be sizing each other up, feeling out the danger. At last, Jacob stepped forward, likewise into the warm glow of moonlight. "Hi," he replied.

She took another step farther, and one of the mountainous skulking figures behind her snapped his teeth together in protest. "Nyet, choozh daat se," she commanded, her inquisitive eyes never leaving Jacob's obscured face. "You American?" she asked, slowly rolling her head from one side to the next, trying to catch a better glimpse of his shadowed face.

"Yeah," Jacob replied, leaning in, taking another step toward her. "You?"

"Roos ska ya," she replied, leaning her head further still.

"Huh?" Jacob replied, taking another tentative step. The two menacing figures shifted restlessly on their spots, but stayed put.

"Russian," the girl replied with a small laugh.

"Oh," Jacob replied. With each step, her inveigling scent seemed to strengthen, billowing around him, drawing him closer still. "How come you're in Poland?"

She smiled again, but her eyes remained obscured. "Ve not in Poland."

_**Shit**_, thought Jacob. _**What the hell country am I in?**_ "Oh! Where are we?"

"Belarus," she replied, laughing.

"Oh," Jacob replied. He guessed Belarus was as good as any country... He shifted forward, bringing himself slightly closer to better seeing her face. "What's your name?"

"Tatiana," she replied, taking another brave step forward. "Vot your name?"

"Jacob."

"Ah, Yacoob!" she said, smiling, and held out her pretty hand. "We too have this name. Prijatno poznakomitsa, Yacoob. Pleased to meet you."

Automatically, Jacob copied her motion, and stretched out his hand to hers. As he stepped forward, several things occurred all at once. His warm hand closed around hers, and a shockwave quavered up their arms. In alarm, they stared at each other, and in that moment when their eyes met for the first time, Jacob knew.

It was as though he could instantly see the future. Like he was suddenly an old man on his deathbed, and his life flashed before his eyes. In every scene that was worth anything, this strange girl was there. Suddenly, an entire future blossomed in his mind, a montage of flashing images rippling through his brain at the speed of light.

They were together, smiling nonchalantly on a summer's day...

And then another, a child being born. Jacob holding his son for the first time in his hands...

Kissing her, as she smiled through tears of unknown joy...

Onward the scenes flashed, as though their futures now lie ahead predetermined, their destinies intertwined.

Suddenly, a rough hand shoved him out of the way, their connection lost. Jacob stumbled, his body turning swiftly back, trembling with unbridling fury. The largest of her companions stood in front of Tatiana, a menacing growl escaping his curled lips as he leaned forward, ready to attack.

"Nyet, Vladimir!" Tatiana screamed, hitting the hulking man away with a powerful smack. "Vane ponimaju!" Despite her small size, Tatiana, it seemed, could pull quite a punch, for he instantly took a reluctant step backward, the other companion now standing warily at his side.

"Abyas nyaats mne!" Vladimir barked back at her, pointing sharply toward Jacob.

She seemed to falter, or was at a loss for words. She turned to Jacob with pleading eyes, and he gladly would've given her anything she wanted at that moment. If he _**had**_ any possessions, that is...

As their eyes again met, Jacob's racing heart slowed, and all the rage died away. "Please," she said, her thick Russian accent shining through, "you are like us, no?"

"What?!" Jacob asked, blinking, and then all at once, his mind turned from the visions he had seen, to the visions he had skipped over. The visions of his _**past**_. He now understood why she stared at him that way, the menacing growl her companion had given him, their stealthy and reluctant introduction. "Oh my God," he said, unable to control his own disbelieving eyes. But of course, those visions had been there too. _**Her**_ memories. Alike, but unknown. Strange and familiar at the same time. "You're werewolves!" he cried, looking at them with new eyes.

Jacob and his new companions did not get any sleep that night. They merely sat on the forest floor well into the early hours, talking. The two massive men with her, she explained, were her brothers, Vladimir and Sacha, and they came from a small town in eastern Russia called Kashin.

Jacob stared at her as she spoke, becoming lost in her sea of words and mannerisms. He would have gladly stayed there the rest of his life, merely listening to her, basking in the glory of her presence.

Sacha elbowed his brother, nodding Jacob's way. "On pakhaw lyoobof bolyet kazyol, nyet?

Tatiana returned the remark with a smart slap upside his head, which he rubbed tenderly in turn. She looked back at Jacob, looking slightly sheepish, grateful that he couldn't speak a word of Russian. "Ve valk, yes?" she said rising. Jacob immediately followed her lead. Indeed, he would have followed her anywhere.

Vladimir and Sacha were about to rise also, but Tatiana's biting command for them to stay made them think otherwise. That didn't stop them keeping a wary eye on the newcomer, however.

They did not wander far, merely to a large opening in the forest where they could see the sky slowly lightening with the oncoming dawn. "Forgive my brothers," she said, embarrassed. "They are young. They do not understand."

"Young?" Jacob said, turning back and looking at them. Vladimir was equal to Jacob's size, but would have been a formidable foe. While Sacha, slightly smaller in stature, could have easily passed for nearing his mid-twenties. "How old are they?"

"Vladimir now forty-one, and Sacha thirty-nine."

Jacob stared at her a solid minute, processing. He had always known he would not age, that it would take the effort to never phase again to rekindle the aging process. As he stared at her, his face bewildered with the prospect of time, he wondered. "How old are you?"

"Forty-five," she answered, unabashed. "Vhy? How old are you?"

Jacob didn't want to reply. Despite her not looking a day over twenty-one, he could not escape reality. This was beyond Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher... What would she say? What if she rejected him? "Eighteen."

"No," she said, smiling. "How many years you be alive?"

Jacob sighed, and amazingly, thought of Edward. Was this how it had been when he told Bella his age? _Dick head..._ "Eighteen," he repeated, looking away, not wanting to meet her rejecting gaze.

The smile faded from her face, and she sat in contemplation for a moment. "Oh."

How it pained him to see her suddenly so altered, so downcast. It simply wasn't fair. Born so much earlier than him, but not aged, only to have _**his**_ age called into question. Bella had not cared how old _**Edward**_ was, the hundred year old freak that he was... "Does...that bother you?" he attempted to ask casually, though not daring to look her in the eye. She took an agonizing minute to think over his question. He wondered what he would do if she said it did. After all, they had _**imprinted**_. It's not as though he could simply walk away, abandoning the future he had seen in his own mind, pretending she had never existed. There was no going back for him now. She didn't have to love him. It could be like how it had been with Bella. If he could just be near her, watching over her, protecting her, he'd be fine. That's all he desperately needed now.

She turned to look at him, her face serious. "Yacoob," she said at last, "you understand vot happen ven ve touch?"

Above their heads, the day began to dawn, and for the first time, Jacob could see the deep pools of blue in her wary eyes. How he wished to sail adrift on them forever... "Yeah. We call it 'imprinting'."

"Imprinting?" she repeated with a smile. With every smile, he noticed how her face lit up, her entire being radiating through her skin, face, and hair. "My mother tell me it once. Of ven she and my father met. She call it 'Tebjas pervogo vzgljada'. The love at first sight."

"Yeah," Jacob said, his heart beginning to pound within his chest. Without being able to control himself, he reached out, grazing her hand with two gentle fingertips.

She smiled, for that touch brought her home. It spoke of warm winter nights in front of a fire, and rich-filled summer days wandering the Ural mountains. If not careful, one could be lost forever in such a touch. "But," she said, reluctantly pulling her hand away, her face turning grave, "you already love another, no?"

Jacob's heart sank. But of course, it made perfect sense. Just as he had seen _**her**_ past, she had seen _**his**_. All of his, with everyone in it. Including Bella. Heidi. And the Volturi. No secrets... He turned away, never feeling more ashamed of himself than in that moment. "I do love her, and I guess a part of me always will, but..." he turned back to her, his face open and honest, "I never knew I could love someone so much _**more**_..."

She stared deeply into his dark brown eyes, searching for answers, for revelation. But, she had seen into his soul, and it did not resemble his troubled past, or inward struggles. She knew his heart for what it was. At last she smiled, and returned her hand on top of his. "They vill not like us together," she said, nodding in her brothers' direction.

Jacob couldn't have cared less. If Tatiana could forgive him, love him despite his mistakes and flaws, he could handle a bit of grovelling. "Who's the alpha? The pack leader. Vladimir? I can handle him."

She looked at him questioningly, confused. "I eldest, Yacoob. They listen to me."

"Oh!" he said, his eyebrows raising in surprise. He had never supposed a woman could be alpha. It sounded sexist in his brain, but he didn't intend it that way. However, even now, he knew he'd follow her anywhere. Any command she gave him, he would gladly obey. "I guess that about makes sense," he said, remembering how Vladimir had stopped his attack at her order. "So, what do the three of you do? Wander around? Live in the woods?"

Tatiana's face turned away, but her hand remained steadfastly on his. "My father die ven ve very young. My mother die not long later. Then, at shestnadcat...um...sixteen, I change. Become volf. I do not know vhy, until one night, I out and see someone from past. The one who kill my father and mother. An _**oopeer**_. A vampire."

"Your parents were killed by vampires?" Jacob asked, a strange knot forming in his stomach.

"Dah," she said, nodding her head, the rage returning to her eyes. "He not know me, but I know him." A smile formed on her lips, one that spoke of one sensation. Vengeance. "I change, and I kill him."

"All by yourself?" Jacob said, impressed. He had felt more than a little proud about how they had killed Laurent, and there had been five of them... "Wow."

Her smile changed from one of wrath to pride. "Spaseebo. Then, not long later, brothers change...become volves. Ve leave Kashin, and now hunt."

"For vampires?"

"Dah," she confirmed, looking warily at him again. "But you strange, Yacoob. You no do this. You...like vampires. How you do this?"

Jacob turned away, self-conscious, but she held on fast to his hand. He was grateful for that, but it couldn't ease the sense of disgust of himself. She was absolutely, one hundred percent right. Vampires really were the bad guys. He had known it all along. Had the desire to punish Bella so clouded his judgement that he didn't care what he did to hurt her, so long as he did? What monster had he become? "They're not all bad," he said, trying to justify it as best he could. "Some don't eat people, you know. They only eat animals."

But Tatiana had seen into his past. She could not be so easily fooled or swayed. "You speak of her, the one you love. But, she not love you back."

"I know. I'm just saying...they're not all bad." He sighed, and squeezed her hand, which looked like a child's in comparison to his. "But you know what? I think I'm ready to move past her, now. I guess I just needed the right reason."

She smiled at him, her blue eyes becoming more bright as the forest around them lightened into dawn. "You speak of me?"

"Yes," he said, stroking her face for the first time with the back of his hand. "I speak of you."

* * *

_**Hey there. I thought I'd include these rough translations for those of us (myself included) who do not speak Russian. I could not use a direct translation, as the Russian language uses a different alphabet than us. Therefore, these are done in phonetical English.**_

_**Russian Translations:**_

_Ktaw taam?_ - "Who's there?"

_Zdraast vooee che?_ - "Hello?"

_Nyet, choozh daat se. _- "No, stay there."

_Prijatno poznakomitsa._ - "Pleased to meet you."

_Nyet, Vladimir!_ - "No, Vladimir!"

_Vane ponimaju!_ - "You don't understand!"

_Abyas nyaats mne!_ - "Explain it to me, then!"

_On pakhaw lyoobof bolyet kazol, nyet?_ - "He looks like a love-sick goat, no?"

_Tebjas pervogo vzgljada._ - "Love at first sight."

_Oopeer._ - "Vampire."

_Spaseebo._ - "Thank you."

_Dah._ - "Yes."


	40. Hunted

**40. HUNTED**

Edward's phone call with Bella confirmed one thing in his mind: Jacob must die. It was the only possible solution that he could foresee having any favourable results. He would be off the hook, and Bella wouldn't need to sacrifice herself on Jacob's behalf. It was true, he knew Jacob would object to his reasoning, but he thought he could learn to live with the guilt.

They were just leaving the airport when Edward's phone sounded off again. In a flash that was nowhere near human, he reached for it, holding it up to his ear, hoping desperately that Bella had somehow changed her mind.

"Hello?" he said, stopping mid-stride, his voice quivering as he waited to hear the voice on the other end of the line. Alice and Jasper stood by him, waiting expectantly, likewise hoping for good news.

"Son," Carlisle's voice rang through, "don't do this."

Edward's heart sank, and with it, returned all his old resolutions. "Hello, Carlisle," Edward replied, like a guilty child at confession. His eyes turned to Alice, who quickly looked away. So, while his mind had been preoccupied with Bella's call, Alice had called home. Great.

"Son," Carlisle said again, his voice imploring, "take a moment to stop and think. Reconsider. This is not the only option."

"Aro was resolute this time," Edward replied. "Caius was clear. It's Jacob, or it's me. I'm sorry but, I'd rather it be him."

"Edward," Carlisle continued on, "this is not like the men you hunted during your dark days. You know Jacob. His heart is good. Bella loves him. He saved your life."

"And _**what**_ would you have me do?!" Edward barked with more force than necessary. "What am I supposed to do, Carlisle? They _**have**_ Bella! They'll keep her from me forever! I'll never get her back! You want me to just abandon all of that for _**Jacob**_?!"

Several humans coming to and fro from the airport doors turned a frightened eye Edward's way as he shouted into the phone, obviously distraught. He ignored them, however, pushing their jumble of incoherent thoughts from his brain.

"I'm not saying give up," Carlisle continued, as patient and steady as a priest. "I'm not saying lose all hope. I'm just asking you to..."

"I can't save him this time," Edward interrupted, shaking his head. "No one can. If I don't do it, someone else will. And then, what of me? They'll go after you. After Esme... Rose and Emmett...Jasper and Alice... After everyone until they get what they want!"

"Sometimes in the darkest of nights, everything seems so black. Let in a little light, and you'll see more of the bigger picture."

"I'm sorry, Carlisle," Edward replied, rubbing his perfect temple. "I just don't have time right now to listen to your analogies..."

Suddenly a new voice called through the phone, feminine and soft. "Edward?" Esme called, her voice full of concern.

"Esme," Edward said, his eyes closing again. Obviously Carlisle was throwing everything he could think of at Edward in an attempt to change his mind.

"Come home," she called, her tender voice pleading. "Let Jacob be, and come back home. It's where you belong."

"And what about Bella?" he replied, biting his lip.

She seemed at a loss for words for a minute, and then replied, "We'll figure something out..."

"I'm sorry, Esme," Edward said, intently shaking his head. "I can't just run away. I have a chance here. A chance to save her and me. I'm sorry. I have to take it."

"Edward...just..." her voice was faltering. She knew she was losing both him, and the battle. "Would you just speak to Carlisle again? He wants to say something to you."

"I'm sorry, Esme. I love you." Edward shut off his phone with a snap. Alice stared at him, and he eventually met her gaze. He did not appear the least bit angry, however, which relieved her.

"Do you hate me?" she asked, infinitely hopeful that he didn't.

"No," he said. "C'mon. We've wasted enough time as it is."

As they drove out of the city and into the national parkland, Alice had at last turned quiet. On the outside, at least. In the end, Edward had to tune out her mental screaming, but he had enough on his mind to ease the struggle.

Felix's map was accurate enough. They didn't have any difficulty locating the burnt out, old barn complete with human remains.

"Alright," Edward said, sighing. "This is where it gets tricky."

"Edward, wait!" Alice called to him again, desperate for him to hear her. "Wait. Think of your soul. Jacob is innocent. You can't kill an innocent."

"I have to do this, Alice," he said, firmly. "I'll understand if you choose not to come along. You too, Jasper. Maybe it's best if I do this alone."

"Like hell I'm going to leave you," Alice rebounded, offended.

"Come then," Edward said, nodding his head. "But know this, Alice: you're not going to talk me out of this, do you understand? Your objections are duly noted, and I respect them. However, you come with me, they end here. Got it?"

Try as she might, she couldn't blame him. If she were in his shoes, she was pretty sure she'd be doing the same thing. "At least I tried..."

"Bella will thank you for it," Edward replied, again nodding. "Now, back to business. Jasper? How good are you at tracking?"

Jasper rolled his head, breathing deeply the air around him, and slowly shifted his weight into the attack stance. "I can smell him. It's faint, but it's definitely werewolf."

"Lead the way," Edward said, and like a shot, they flew through the night, hot on the trail.

He tried to remain concentrated on his mission, but with every step that took him closer to betraying everything he believed in, Edward felt himself begin to question. It had been so easy to decide to kill Jacob, and plan for a happy future following the dark deed. Try as he might to believe it, he knew it wasn't as simple as that.

What was it the Volturi _**truly**_ wanted from him? Murdering Jacob seemed a logical enough excuse, and he couldn't blame them for wanting the mangy mongrel dead, but Edward couldn't shake feeling that there was much more to this than they had let on. Some underlying factor that no one was supposed to see...

Of one thing he was certain about, however. It all somehow centred around Bella. It always had. What in God's name did the masters see that he did not? What gift, what hidden potential, or use was she that made her so desirable to them? Whatever it was, the fact that they seemed prepared to go to such great lengths and forfeit any in their way, unnerved him very much indeed. If they meant to sacrifice _**him**_, then might they also be willing to sacrifice _**her**_? What frightened him most of all was the knowledge that they had played their cards perfectly this time, and that he could not save her.

So, he would do it. He would go forth and commit the greatest sin that he had so long fought against, betraying his father, his God, and his own humanity.

But what else could he do? Alice had warned him that Bella would never forgive him... Could her words prove ominous? Would saving Bella bring about the destruction of her love for him?

There were no easy answers. Only questions, and indecision.

Alice, he knew, could see his mind constantly turning, forever wavering from one decision to the next. This kept her mind quiet, and for that, Edward was thankful. He had enough to think about without Alice's 'I told you so,' chiming in.

For nearly three hours they ran, sporadically stopping to clarify the scent, and alter course. Yet they maintained ever eastward, shrouded by the new moon above them.

All of a sudden, Alice stopped short, raising her arm up, a signal for them to halt. She stood perfectly still, and Edward's ears listened to many things at once. The nighttime murmur that breathed of the last days of summer, Jasper's wary pondering of what lurked in the shadows, and Edward thinking, _We are not alone..._

Her vision had been clear. There was someone out wandering the darkness, frenzied and terrified. Another vampire.

"How close?" Edward asked, as she flitted back and forth between her senses and visions.

"Close," was her whispered reply. "He's running so fast...frightened. I wonder why... I can't see." A moment's concentration passed, in which Alice finally replied, "This way. He's coming."

They followed her lead, and in the end, they stood side by side under the cloak of darkness, waiting expectantly for this unknown visitor.

And then, like an arrow piercing the night, he shot out, nearly colliding with them. He panted out of breath, despite not requiring any breath at all. At first their sudden appearance startled him, and then at once he felt comfort. "Grundgütiger, bitte helfen Sie mir! Sie sind hinter mir her!"

The three stared at the fellow. "Dutch?" Edward asked, curiously.

"Polish, I think," Alice replied, equally undisturbed.

"German," Jasper said, knowingly. "He asking for help. Said someone's chasing him."

"When did you learn how to speak German?" Edward asked incredulously.

"I've been studying it," Jasper replied, shifting his eyes from Edward and Alice's astounded gazes. "Nietzsche is best in native German. Things are lost in translation, otherwise."

_Ah, Jasper,_ Edward thought. _Diligent to the bone. Not enough to study the world's greatest philosophers, he must further study them in their original dialects as well!_ "Well, what the heck's he on about? Who's chasing him?"

All eyes turned to the newcomer with a wary eye. He looked panicked as he nervously looked over his shoulder, his brilliant red eyes straining to see into the inky depths of the forest.

"I'll ask," Jasper said. "Wer ist hinter Ihnen her?"

Upon hearing words he could understand, the vampire began spilling his guts, the words flowing a mile a minute. Edward could not understand a word of it, but he was not so much interested in the words, but in his thoughts. For in his memory, a single disturbing image emerged.

"Werewolves," Edward and Jasper said at the same time, both anxiously turning to one another.

"Wieviele?" Jasper asked, his brow now furrowed and apprehensive.

"Vier," the vampire answered, and Jasper was not happy with the news.

"Four. This isn't good, Edward. Werewolves are reckless at the best of times. It's true, we'll have even numbers, they won't like that, but..."

"Jacob's with them," Edward said, looking to his right, out into the abyss.

"How do you know?" Alice asked, her apprehension mounting.

"Because he's here," Edward replied, and as Alice and Jasper turned their heads, they saw four werewolves cautiously emerge from the thicket, their teeth bared.

"No one move," Edward said, never taking his uneasy eyes from the snarling foursome. Jasper whispered it to the newcomer in German, and all stood perfectly still, waiting for someone to make the first move.


	41. Sacrifice

**41. SACRIFICE**

Their footsteps echoed down the familiar corridors. Demetri and Bella did not require a guide, but Jane, feeling mighty and important despite her tiny frame, led onward. She smiled wickedly as she walked, and turned around to address Bella.

"You must tell me, Bella, why you are here." Her voice seemed to purr, but everything in her manner spoke nothing but poison.

"No," Bella said, her hatred for Jane growing. She had about reached the end of her tether with Jane. "I don't think I do, really."

Jane's eyes flickered, and then warmed again, her sticky-sweet smile back in place. "Whom are you here to save? Which of your troublesome lovers are now in peril?"

Demetri clenched his teeth together, wishing very much he could reach out and rip her head off. But Bella ignored Jane's questions, focusing instead upon a single word. "What do you mean, _**lovers**_?"

"Oh, Bella!" Jane said with her Tinkerbell laugh. "You mustn't be a coy minx with me! Everyone knows! Jacob told us so!"

Bella's eyes flashed to Demetri for confirmation. He merely shrugged, and whispered, "As if I could ask you the truth about it..."

"Wait!" Bella said stopping, and rounding on Jane. "Don't butter me up! Tell it to me like it is. What the hell are you talking about?"

Jane halted, the satisfied grin never leaving her face. "Surely Bella, I need hardly describe to you your own love affairs. But, Edward was certainly interested in them upon his last visit."

Bella closed her eyes, trying to withhold the rage boiling within her. When her eyes opened again, she took one look at Jane and slapped her.

It had not been a hard blow by any means, but not since Jane's mortal years had she been assaulted. None had ever been able to get close enough. Her mental torture had always proved superior to every other vampire's powers. Up until now, that is. And Jane knew it. Her hand flew to her stinging cheek, and her red eyes flamed with fury.

Bella's tongue was quick as her hand. "Keep your malicious lies to yourself, Bitch. And you don't need to take me to Aro. I know the way."

Off Bella strode, Demetri smiling satisfactorily in her wake, as they left a trembling, wrathful Jane behind.

Bella felt empowered, and also a little terrified. Jane had always hated her, but she knew she had just crossed the line. _No time to think about that now_, she decided in the end.

She turned to Demetri as they walked. His smirk was ecstatic. "I can't believe you did that!" he said, shaking his head. "This trip has been worth it just for witnessing that alone! That was awesome!"

Bella took a deep breath. "I'm not sure I can believe it either... I never wanted her as an enemy."

"But you invariably had her as one, even from the very beginning. You were just too close to Aro for her liking."

They approached the great rooms, and it was not difficult to guess which room the masters waited in. Two imposing guards stood outside one of the rooms, nodding hello to them as they approached.

As they neared, the levity of seeing Jane's comeuppance ebbed away. Both their manners once again returned to seriousness, and when at the doors, Demetri turned to her. "Be brave. I'll be waiting for you to come out."

"You won't leave, will you?" Bella asked, needing some kind of comfort and certainty in a time where everything good seemed to be falling apart. "You promise?"

"I promise," he said, hugging her. A guard pulled wide the door, and she stepped inside.

Aro stood beside Marcus, having a wordless conversation as they touched hands. Upon seeing her enter, however, Aro broke the connection, floating toward her. "Ah! Dearest Bella! It is nice to see you again! Did I not foresee you returning to us?"

"Yes, you did," she replied, gazing about the odd room. It was circular, and in its centre stood five leather chairs. She thought she caught the merest hint of Edward's scent.

Just then a guard strode in, approached Aro, and bowed low. Without a word, Aro extended his hand, and the sentry touched it. Aro smiled, nodded his head, and the guard withdrew, shutting the door behind him. Bella watched the scene with a measure of unease, and then, Aro turned to her. "Oh dearest me!" he said, smiling. "Jane has been naughty! But you should have restrained yourself, my dearest Bella. Physical violence is never to be condoned within these walls."

"I am sorry, Masters," Bella said, humbly, pondering the contradiction of his words. Indeed, they killed humans often enough within these walls... "I hope you will forgive me."

Aro took a moment to look at her severely, only to smile. "But of course! Jane's manner can be somewhat trying at times, we understand. Forgiven, of course! Forgiven. Will you not sit down?"

Bella moved to the seat on Aro's right, and upon sitting in the chair, more of Edward's scent seemed to emanate upward. Her mind became clouded in the wistful need to have him close. She smiled, imagining him standing behind her, supporting her against the three who could ruin everything.

Aro continued to smile at her, as she appeared lost in thought. "May we offer you our felicitations on your upcoming marriage?"

"Oh!" Bella said, surprised. This was not what she had expected to hear, and could not help but wonder at it. "Thank you."

"Yes, Edward had the benefit of telling us personally. Know that he also had the courtesy to invite us. My brothers shall not attend, but I assure you I shall."

Bella's mouth gaped open, and she struggled to recover herself. "That's great! I'm glad you'll be able to come."

"I would not miss the joining of two hearts such as yours for a gold farthing," he said smiling, as though not the least bit concerned or wary of Edward's situation.

Caius shifted in his seat, looking altogether bored. "Matrimonium aside," he said coldly, "what is it we can do for you?"

_Down to business_, Bella thought. _Alright, then._ "I know what Edward's task is. I've come to offer a deal."

"What kind of deal?" Caius asked, his red eyes never leaving her face.

Bella swallowed. This was it. This was all she had to offer. She could only pray that it would be enough. "Me."

Aro and Caius traded a quick glance. "Clarify," Caius said, his eyes narrowing.

Bella clasped her tiny hands togther to keep them from moving nervously in her lap. "In exchange for Edward's debt and Jacob's life, I am prepared to offer...myself. I'll stay with you, become Volturi, eat however you wish me to..." she said, feeling sick upon saying the words. "Anything. Forever."

"My dearest Bella," Aro said, smiling gently. "There was a time when we would have wished for nothing more than you to truly join our family. However, we humbly reject your...tempting offer."

That was an answer that Bella had not expected. "Why?"

"For several reasons. One, you were not happy here during your last stay. We have no wish to repeat that experience. Two, those who wish to join us, must _**desire**_ to be here. You, do not. And thirdly, your presence causes uproar with others. Far too much trouble than desirable. So, I fear we must sadly say, no."

Bella was heartbroken. It had all been for nothing, then. She would go home, but to what? An existence where her _**lover**_ killed her _**best friend**_? Or, where her_** best friend **_killed her _**lover**_? She felt as though she wished to slip into a dark corner somewhere, and fade away for a hundred years.

"Yet, would you be willing," a quiet, unfamiliar voice sounded, "to an alternative solution?"

Bella raised her head to see that she was being addressed by none other than Marcus. It had been the first time she had ever heard him speak. "What kind of alternative?"

The three brethren eyed each other, as though exchanging mental thoughts, but did not touch Aro's hand. They appeared to be well prepared for this decision. What was it they wanted from her?

It was Aro who spoke next. "My dearest Bella," Aro said, smiling, "you have long held us in fascination. Since that first day, do you recall? You were human then. Weak, frail, but even then a wonder..."

"I remember," Bella replied, clueless as to where on Earth Aro was leading her.

"We questioned your potential. As I'm sure you have seen, we consider ourselves collectors of sorts. There is not a vampire here who does not have one gift or another to offer us. Something that sets them apart from the rest. An underlying talent that could be most useful when needed..."

"I've noticed," Bella replied warily.

"And when you came to us, we thought we had struck the proverbial gold. You seemed..." his red eyes stared at her with such intensity and warmth she was tempted to look away. But he continued on, unaware of her discomfort. "...too good to be true. Long had we been searching for one who possessed just such a talent as yours..."

"What?" Bella asked, confused. "The fact that Jane can't hurt me?"

"The fact that _**none**_ can hurt you," Aro elucidated. "That you are an island, and not even _**I**_ can see into your soul. You are...untouchable. Now, _**that**_ is a talent most desired by us."

Aro appeared waiting for her to speak, but she was clueless as to what to say. She was still lost in his sea of words, unsure of what future his tide of thought was drifting her toward.

When she said nothing, he smiled, continuing. "And then, we had the good fortune to claim you for a time. For many months I watched you in continued puzzlement, hoping to see what we were looking for."

"And what exactly is that?" Bella inquired. "You already knew of my...talent, if you can call it that..."

Aro smiled. "Oh, your talent is unique enough, and I felt we had come so close to capturing you. Do you recall what first brought me to Washington?"

Bella swallowed. It had been a long time since she had willingly thought of those dark, newborn days. Back when the demon had been in control, and she had lost her sense of humanity. "I killed those people," she said, her voice barely above a whisper, it was filled with so much shame.

"Yes," Aro said smiling, unfeeling to any remorse that she now wore upon her sleeve. "That is what so excited me! That is why I went. You had become what we desired most in all the world!"

"What, a monster?" she asked incredulously. Out of control, unruly, and seeking vengeance... She hardly thought such a villain would be welcomed at Volterra.

"A killer," Caius corrected severely, his cold eyes telling of the countless thousands whom he had killed.

"But," Bella asked, "what difference would that make? You had me...you wanted me...why let me go?"

"To us," Aro continued, his smile fading, "being a willing killer meant everything. Upon learning more about you, studying you, I knew you could not do what we wanted of you."

"And what is that exactly?" Bella asked firmly, tired of dancing around the subject.

His smile swiftly returning, Aro replied, "Not yet, dearest Bella. I have not finished with my story. Where was I? Ah, yes. We decided that after all, you would not suit, and so you left our company. But, after all, you were such a rarity, we could not allow you to drift too far from our notice, so we sent Demetri to keep a watchful eye on you."

Bella froze, and turned to each set of bloody eyes. "What did you say?" she breathed, her stomach sinking, twirling into an unruly knot. "You sent Demetri...to _**spy**_ on me?!"

"Now now, my dear Bella, do not fly into a passion, I beg of you! It was only for your own safety. Recollect what I instructed of Demetri upon your joining us. He was to look after you in every measure possible. You cannot deny that he has done this. I will admit that I thought his altered eating habits a little disconcerting, but know that it was only with the intention of pleasing you that we did this."

"Pleasing me?" Bella repeated, her golden eyes flashing dangerously. "And how did you intend for him to please me?"

Aro smiled, looking slightly abashed. "You required a mate, that seemed obvious enough. He had formed an attachment with our dear Heidi, but that was easily severed. You did not seem to object to him, so we assumed you would welcome a liaison. Were we faulty in our assumptions?"

"_**Yes!**_" Bella exclaimed, embarrassed down to her toes.

"Oh," Aro said, obviously disappointed. He turned to Marcus, "I stand corrected, Marcus. You said there would never be any love between them."

Marcus nodded, but refrained from producing a gloating smile.

"So..." Bella said, needing clarification, "Demetri's been spying on me...telling you what's been going on in Sweet Home..."

"He has been keeping us well informed, as was his purpose," Aro explained. "We were beginning to fear his objective slackened recently, but then he managed to bring you here so easily. For that we must commend him!"

Bella hid her face in her hands, anxious for a moment in the dark, away from prying eyes. She was infinitely glad they couldn't find a way into her mind or soul, she was so ashamed. _Stupid!_ He never really cared for her. What she had assumed was brotherly-love was in fact nothing more than duty. A spy's duty. She had never wanted to kill anyone more.

"Do you require a minute," Aro said after she continued to hide in her hands, "or shall I continue?"

"Nope!" she said, putting her hands down, her face livid, but composed. She needed to hear it all. She would not hide from the truth. "Please! Go on!"

Aro frowned at her fuming demeanor, but continued regardless. "Where did I leave off? Ah... So, you had left our care, and young Jacob came in your stead. Now, Jacob proved much more difficult to manage. We had him in mind, you see, for the same reason we were so interested in you. The possibilities were unknown with one of his kind. We had never before studied them, or thought much of their usefulness... But his mood and temperament proved too difficult to govern. He was more willing than you to take on a lover, but even _**that**_ did not seem to appease him..."

Bella blinked at the words that she had just heard. _**Jacob...take on a lover?**_ It had been a long time since they had been friends, and she was glad that he was moving on, but moving on with the Volturi could only mean one thing: complete disaster.

"Let us merely say," Aro continued, "that he left the safety and comfort of these walls of his own accord. And in so doing, placed us in a rather difficult position."

"Because he's human..." Bella surmised, remembering Caius's warning clearly as though he had spoken it only yesterday.

"That is correct," Aro said, nodding his head once. "A human who knows our secrets, is a deceased human. Unless of course, they are in a position of power, and can offer us something in return. Jacob, however, was not. No, the risk is not worth the taking. We then called Edward to visit us, to take care of this little matter, and then we hear that you_** too**_ were to visit."

"What?" Bella said, her eyes dark and fierce. "You mean, you didn't send your little errand boy to orchestrate me going here? Passing along information that he knew would result in me coming all the way out here, and for what? To give you what you three want. So, what is it you want of me?"

Caius turned his head slowly toward her. "Tone, Bella. Mind your decorum. We are still willing to play along, do recollect."

With that, Bella swallowed her sarcastic pride, and nodded her head. "I'm sorry."

Aro, of course, was particularly quick to forgive. "A wounded pride is always the first casualty, my dear. So, where does this leave us? I believe you are up to date on all manner of things, save one. Is that not so?"

"You mean, what I'm doing here in the first place."

"Correct," Aro said, the smile returning to his face. "Does the name 'Le Vicomte du Toulon' mean anything to you?"

"Yes," Bella replied. It had been one of Aro's assigned readings. The French aristocrat who escaped from the French Revolution, only to be turned into a brutal, child-eating vampire. "I started the book, but I left before getting a chance to finish it."

"That _**is**_ disappointing," Aro said. "But, no matter. The situation cannot wait. You, my dear, are being sent to France."

Bella blinked at him. Was this the mission? "France? What for?"

Caius turned to her, and smiled for the first time since her arrival. "Why, to kill him, of course."

She felt as though someone had kicked her in the stomach. "You want me to kill him? I've never killed a vampire before in my life!"

"There is a first time for everything," Caius continued, undeterred, "and we can no longer wait. The situation is escalating, and every day brings upon more public outcry. You must go. You must kill him."

"Why me, though? Why not someone else?"

Aro turned to her. "His talents are such that any other vampire he meets will fall under his control."

"So," Bella said, becoming more terrified by the second, "he controls minds?"

"Yes," Caius replied, seemingly bored with the details. "There are none we can send but you. You _**must**_ complete this task. Do this, and Edward's debt is considered honoured."

"And Jacob?" she said, quickly. "I won't do it unless Jacob's forgiven too."

"Jacob is another matter," Caius said unwaveringly. "There are rules to obey. Laws..."

"But you write those laws," she argued. "Who would he tell? And even if he did, who would believe him?"

Caius was shaking his head. "That does not alter..."

"Calm yourself, Brother," Aro said, smiling. "Surly we can reach some common ground. Very well, Bella. It is as you wish. Both Edward and Jacob will be forgiven. Satisfied?"

It seemed all too well and good. "Not good enough," she said in the end. They wanted something from her, they were going to have to pay for it. She was, after all, their only shot. "If I die, which...given the circumstances, I probably will, I want them to be pardoned. Live or die, they go free. That's the deal."

Aro stared at her a long while, all grand-fatherly air gone. This was business. "Very well."

"Do you _**promise**_?" Bella asked. She felt like a child, but knew she needed some kind of verbal confirmation. It was a long shot. They could go back on their word, and she would have no defense. She wasn't sure how well they kept their words of honour.

"I swear it," Aro replied in the end, and Bella was forced to accept it. She simply had no other choice.

"Fine then," she said in the end, feeling as though she were signing her life away. But, she knew this was the only way. If not, there would always be some excuse, and they would come up with more torturous methods to include not just Edward and Jacob, both the others as well, forcing her to do their evil bidding. No, it was better this way. One way or another, it would be at an end. She would either win, or die trying. Considering the circumstances, that seemed a fair enough bargain.

"Demetri shall fill you in on the particulars..." Aro said, but was abruptly interrupted by Bella.

"No way. Not him. Anybody else. Felix, even, but not him."

"Demetri is the best candidate, Bella," Aro said, trying to make her see reason. He sensed her betrayed feelings. "He knows the Vicomte better than any here. If you are to succeed, you require his extensive knowledge. I am afraid I must insist..."

Bella sighed. She knew she could not argue with Aro without insulting him, the way her temper was rising. "Alright, he comes. Anything else I should know?"

Aro smiled, the grand-fatherly air returning. "Only that we have faith in you. Recollect, Bella, that you were chosen out of thousands. We would not put you in such a precarious position if we did not feel you had a chance."

Bella nodded, but did not feel the least encouraged. They would have their way. She would probably die, and Edward and Jacob soon after. "Okay."

"Be not so afraid," Aro said, patting her on the hand. "You give yourself far too little credit."

"If I were trying to kill Jane, I think I'd have better odds," Bella said, and much to her surprise, Aro and Caius laughed.

"But, you are capable whereas Jane is not," Aro countered. "Mind that. You are infinitely special."

"What, just because I'm 'untouchable'?"

"Exactly so," Marcus said, his voice barely above a whisper.

She may have not believed in herself, but for some strange reason, they did. That knowledge brought about a bit of comfort, but she was about to sail in unchartered seas, assassinating a vampire she had never before met. It was more than a little intimidating.

She left the room, her head swimming with all that they had told her. At first glance, she saw Demetri talking with Heidi, his hand on her shoulder. They appeared in deep conversation, and only noticed her after the guard shut the door.

Jane stood there as well, well apart from the couple, and far away from Bella. She said nothing, her face like stone.

"Bella..." Demetri said, taking a step toward her, but instantly the rage within her grew, and she held out a single finger his way. "_**You**_...don't talk to me." She strode away from him, but like a dog on a leash, Demetri and Heidi followed suit.

Alone in the corridor with her thoughts, Jane waited until a guard stepped out of the room. "The masters will see you now," he said.

Without a word, she strode passed him, entering the room. She was not offered a seat, and instead, Caius approached her. "Call Edward. Have him locate Jacob, but not kill him. Say that an exchange has been made, but nothing more. Capisca?"

"Yes, Master," Jane said with deep reverence.

Caius nodded his head. "The time has come when we must take matters into our own hands. Do you feel capable? I have not forgotten that he once had you by the throat..."

At this, Aro spoke up, his voice and face uneasy. "Caius...I gave my word."

"But I did not, Brother," Caius countered. "What say you, Jane? Do you fear Jacob?"

Jane smiled evilly. "No, Master."


	42. Treaty

**42. TREATY**

Edward could hear the wolves' thoughts collide and mix as they talked together, sharing information. Oh yes, Jacob knew who they were, but amazingly, it was he convincing the others _**not**_ to attack.

He retraced his steps backward into the undergrowth, never taking his distrustful eyes off the eerily still vampires. He remerged human, his hands busy doing up his pants. "Do you mind telling me what the _**hell**_ you're doing in Poland, Edward? And it figures that you're friends with _**this**_ filthy leech!"

Edward sighed. Obviously Aro had been unable to teach the mutt any manners. "We are in Poland on Volturi business, and this one is no friend of ours."

Their vampire guest gasped upon hearing the one word he knew in the jumble of unfamiliar English: Volturi.

"Haben Sie gesagt _**Vulturi**_?" he whispered to Jasper.

"Ja," replied Jasper, deciding it easier than explaining the story from the beginning. Not that the vampire would've stayed long to hear it, for the moment the word 'yes' had graced his ears, he took off south, dashing through the brush and around trees.

"Nicht laufen Sie nicht!" Jasper called, but to no avail. The vampire was gone.

Those standing turned to see the two largest wolves follow in quick pursuit. Jacob cursed under his breath, and edged closer to the last remaining wolf, considerably smaller than the others, with a pale, glossy coat.

"Volturi business, huh?" Jacob said, uneasily, as he stepped further in front of the wolf, as though attempting to block it from view. "So, uh...what...what are you doing here, exactly?"

Edward observed his strange behaviour with a furrowed brow. He struggled to see into the werewolf's mind, but the voice residing there was of a language he did not understand. It was undeniably female, much to his surprise. He could not comprehend the thoughts, but her intention was clear. She would not leave Jacob.

"Who's _**she**_?" Edward asked, nodding in the wolf's direction while ignoring Jacob's question.

This simple query caused Jacob's manner to turn instantaneously. The hair on the back of his neck shot up, and as he leaned forward, protecting her, his eyes turned menacingly dark. "Never mind her!" he growled. "You're here for me, right? C'mon then! I know you've always wanted to try and take me! C'mon!"

_He's just baiting you,_ Alice thought, looking Edward's way, praying that this time his temper wouldn't get the best of him. _See how he's protecting her? Ask WHY, Edward!_

"You want to fight, fine," Edward said, surprised by his own calmness. Despite Jacob's snarls and snaps, there was more to this. "But first, I want to know who she is."

"Forget her!" Jacob shouted, taking a bold step forward. "This is _**you**_ and _**me**_!"

However, a sudden movement and ripping sound caused Jacob's face to panic, and he turned around to see a naked Tatiana grab hold of him. "Yacoob, NO! No fight! You promise!"

Horrified as to how the situation was spinning out of control, Jacob turned back to the three curious vampires. They did not attack, or make any motion at all. Strangely, to all of them, the situation became demonstrably clear.

Tatiana hid shyly behind Jacob's hulking figure, her head and hand being the only bare skin visible. She blinked at the three, as though begging. She had never liked vampires, but she knew the ones standing before her were different. Time and time again she had seen them through Jacob's memories, and sensed to the depths of her soul that they would not harm her.

Edward and Tatiana's eyes met, and for the first time, he could understand her pleading thoughts. The situation, which not that long ago seemed so black and white, was now undeniably grey.

"You love her?" Edward asked Jacob, whose chest swelled with each intake of breath, terrified that his one true love's life may be in jeopardy.

"Yes," Jacob replied, his rage receding away. He glanced at Tatiana, her round eyes staring up into his. "Her name is Tatiana. She's...my soul mate."

A delicate moment passed between them as Jacob softly uttered those words, as though they were wedding vows. Edward looked away, embarrassed. The moment was too intimate. Too personal. It was love at its purest. He recognized it without doubt, for it was how _**he**_ looked at Bella.

Jacob turned back to Edward, his face now dejected. "They sent you here to kill me, didn't they?"

It took Edward a full minute to reply. His mind quickly turning, he knew he must be driving Alice crazy with his flashes of ever-changing decisions. "Yes," he replied in the end, his mind now firmly made up. Alice turned to him, smiling. "But I'm not going to do that," he said at last. How could he when his own heart yearned for its other half? Once again, he rejected the monster, come what may.

Still unconvinced, Jacob said, "They won't like that. Caius in particular. There'll be retribution, for sure."

"Let them try," Jasper replied, smirking.

Even Jacob allowed himself to smile, and Tatiana snuck into the bushes to dress. The mood began to calm, and those present felt easier to move and relax.

Staring at Edward another minute, Jacob at last said, "Shall we sit? It seems neither of us is going anywhere for a while..."

Edward nodded, and the three vampires sat as Jacob expertly prepared a small fire in the centre. Tatiana joined them now dressed in her t-shirt and jeans, and by the glowing light of the fire, Edward could see what the attraction was. She was very beautiful by human standards: tall, svelte and blond, with her perfect oval face. Her appearance would even bristle Rosalie's jealously, Edward ventured to think. But down she sat, cross-legged beside her Jacob, leaning her head on his massive bare shoulder.

"You think they caught him?" she murmured in her heavy accent, paying no heed to the vampires so near to her.

"Only a matter of time," Jacob replied. "You know how Vlad and Sasha get when they smell vampire..." He let out a small laugh that quickly died as he looked up at the three vampires sitting across from him. He cleared his throat, and bashfully changed the subject. "You weren't exaggerating earlier about him not being with you, were you?" Jacob asked, awkwardly. "Sorry if he's a vegan, or whatever..."

"It's okay," Edward said, smiling in spite of himself. "He was no friend of ours."

"Good," Jacob replied, nodding his head. That was _**one**_ thing he had most definitely learned while living with the Volturi. There were most assuredly _**good**_ vampires out there, three of which were sitting beside him.

Strange was not a strong enough word to describe the odd situation they somehow found themselves in. Here they were, nemeses to the last, now enjoying a flickering campfire. All past objections seemed gone, all hurt feelings somehow cast aside. Anyone stumbling upon them would think them the closest of friends, and not mortal enemies.

There was one thing Jacob wanted to know, however, but how to ask? As Tatiana hung off his arm for warmth and comfort, how could he betray her and ask what he wanted? Ask...as a friend.

Edward perceived, hearing Jacob's swaying thoughts, and was shocked to discover the altered feelings there. Gone was the rage from the day at the arena. No longer did the burning infatuation exist that he had pined for. All that remained was the image of a long-lost love, a sweet remembering of youthful days faded in time. "She's gone to Volterra," Edward offered in the end, unwilling to lie.

Even though Jacob could not hear Edward's thoughts, he understood. "She knew...she knew you were coming to kill me?"

"Yes," Edward said, his jaw locked together to prevent a tortured sob escaping.

"So, _**I'm**_ the task they had in mind for you, huh? Bastards... Ya know, I can't help but wonder how long they've been plotting... Something always seemed funny about the whole thing. It's weird. It's like they were testing me... Training me... Preparing me for something..."

"They never told you what for?" Jasper asked, his veteran-mind ever calculating, deciphering, preparing for the next move.

"No," Jacob replied, shaking his head and wrapping his arm around Tatiana's waist. "I wondered, and asked Felix once, but either he didn't know, couldn't or wouldn't tell me."

Edward sharply inhaled, as though being doused with cold water. A memory flickered in his brain. One issue that must be dealt with... "That reminds me, Jacob," he said, his voice suddenly ice-cold. "Upon my last visit to the villa, Felix let something slip, a memory, that I need to talk to you about..."

"Oh?" Jacob asked casually, confused as to which memory he'd be referring to. He struggled for a minute, trying to remember, only to give up in the end. "Some help would be nice. Memory of what?"

"I'll give you a hint," Edward said, intent on keeping Bella's private matters private. "It involved Bella and..." But he couldn't continue. His hands began to shake, and his mouth filled with venom. He longed to bite, to break Jacob's throat for defiling her...name!

Jacob persisted in his witlessness, only for his eyes to open wide with surprise. "Oh. OH!" He face turned an uncharacteristic colour of red as he struggled to meet Edward's murderous gaze. "Uh...I wasn't serious about that, you know... Felix is an ass and a half. I just wanted to shut him up for once. I never thought for a _**second**_ it would come back to you...or Bella..."

"Vot you talk of?" Tatiana asked, raising her head up.

If Jacob had been contrite before, it was nothing to his agony now. "It's nothing, Baby. Just a misunderstanding."

"Misunderstanding like hell," Edward said, his dark glare unrelenting. "Spreading locker room talk..."

"Vot he mean?" Tatiana demanded, her beautiful eyes becoming unwavering dark slits. "You tell me!"

Edward was glad she wasn't angry at him! From his experience of Russian women, they weren't ones you wanted to cross...

Jacob, smiling and laughing weakly at himself, cast his eyes down shamefully to the fire. "I...I told a lie about Bella, and it was bad. That's all."

"Vot lie?" she said, unrelenting. "Vot you say?"

It was like watching a mother berating a child for stealing a cookie, and no matter how angry Edward felt toward Jacob for his stupid maliciousness, he couldn't help but pity him now. He didn't stand a chance against the Russian.

"I...I..." Jacob stuttered, "I said we...slept together, when we really didn't. It was stupid, and..._**OW**_!"

Tatiana's retribution had been swift as she promptly smacked Jacob upside the head. "_**Chjort!**_" she cried, smacking him again. He may have towered over her in size, but he trembled neath her tiny hand. "Ty gryaaznee sveenya!"

"Okay! Okay!" he said, holding up his hands as a peace offering. "I deserve it! I'm sorry!"

She continued to breathe deeply while shaking her head and muttering Russian, casting Jacob infuriated looks. There was no doubt in anyone's mind (Edward was sure of that), that Jacob would be paying for this for days to come, a fact which brought Edward a sense of justice. He need not kill Jacob after all. Tatiana's punishment was sure to be enough.

Suddenly two very tall men strode through the bushes, wearing nothing but dirty, old jeans. They stopped, looking bewildered at the company around the campfire.

"Preekhaadeets," Tatiana said upon seeing her brothers. "Come. These my brothers," she said proudly to the guests. "Is Vladimir and Sacha." They each nodded their heads, sitting as close to the fire, but as far away from the vampires as possible, ever keeping a distrustful eye upon them.

"Vlad and Sacha," Jacob continued, "this is Jasper, Edward, and Alice. Old friends. You know, the ones who _**don't**_ eat people."

Vladimir nodded his head in understanding, but his stoic expression did not alter, much unlike Edward's expression. _Old friends?_ Yet, the carefree words gave him some comfort. Hope for a better future than their rocky past.

His courage rising, Vladimir's curiosity climaxed. He may never get this opportunity again. Looking at Edward, he said, "How you like being vampire?"

Edward could not help but smile his cocky grin, and shrug his shoulders. "How do you like being a werewolf?"

Vladimir mulled over the question for a moment. "Is okay."

"Yeah," Edward said, smiling. "Same here. It's okay."

Suddenly, Edward's phone began to vibrate madly in his pocket. His smile and humour gone, he reached in, and pulling it out, gazed at the number. His heart sank. He _**knew**_ that number.

"Hello?" he said after flipping open the phone. He sighed deeply. "Hello, Jane." After another moment's pause, he continued on. "No...I haven't located him yet..." he said, his eyes flicking to Jacob. "Uh huh. Uh huh." And then, Edward seemed to deflate right in front of them. His eyes closed, and he cringed as if in pain. "But can't you just t... I see. I understand." He snapped the phone shut, and all eyes waited on him expectantly.

"What is it?" Jacob asked, his anxiety growing. "What'd the evil, psycho bitch want?"

Edward sighed, and instinctively, Alice reached for his hand. This was bad news.

"An agreement has been made," he said, his voice now cracking and altered. "I am to locate you, but refrain from killing you."

"Why?" Jasper asked.

"Yeah," Jacob continued. "What the hell for? Not that I want you to, by the way... I'm just saying..."

"That's just it," Edward said, fearing his dead heart would break at any second. "I have no idea."

* * *

**Russian Translations:**

_Chjort_ - "Damn it!"  
_Ty gryaaznee sweenya!_ - "You dirty pig!"  
_Preekhaadeets_ - "Come."


	43. Traitor

**43. TRAITOR**

Bella made her way through the labyrinth of passages and hallways, ever focused on one goal: getting the hell out of there! She knew Demetri and Heidi were behind her, as she could hear their whispers as well as footsteps. She loathed the thought of traveling with Demetri, being forced to sit with him, talk to him. Right now her only wish was to kill him.

She stepped outside, into fresh air and a brightening sky. Today would be unfortunately sunny.

"Here Bella, take this," Heidi said, pulling out a long black robe from her bag, and holding it out for her.

Bella stared at it as though it were diseased. She wasn't in the mood to be the least helpful to either of them. But, as it was, a new day was dawning, and she would be exposed to glitter like a Christmas tree the moment the sunlight touched her skin. Reluctantly, she took the cloak, draping it over herself.

She looked skeptically at Heidi and her bag. "You're coming with us?"

Heidi cast a fleeting look at Demetri before replying. "I'm through here, Bella. We both are."

Shooting a spiteful glance Demetri's way, Bella replied, "Funny, I think I've heard that one before."

Without waiting for a reply or explanation, she turned and climbed into the limo. Sensing her needing space, Heidi and Demetri sat opposite her, their hands interlacing each other's fingers. Bella noticed this, and then shut her mind to it completely.

Just then the divider window scrolled down, and Angelo peeked through. "Where to? Aeroporto?"

"Yes," Bella replied at the same time Demetri said, "No."

Bella stared at him, pinching her lips together in a tight line. "Airport," she repeated.

Demetri, on the other hand, sighed. "We can go by air if you'd prefer, Bella, and arrive in three hours. Or, we go by train, arriving in _**thirteen**_ hours. As it is, you're not ready to see the Vicomte. We need time."

Angelo sat staring at her in the rearview mirror. "Fine," Bella snapped, shaking her head, and turning away. Postponing her forthcoming demise by any means could only be thought of as desirable.

The car took off, and the divider rolled back up again. None spoke for nearly half an hour. Heidi leaned her head on Demetri's shoulder, and Bella watched him wrap his arm around her. He glanced Bella's way, but she immediately turned her head again, a clear message that she wasn't in the mood to talk.

She could tell that he felt her anger. Perhaps it was guilt that pained his beautiful face, but as he was such a good actor, she didn't trust anything he said or did anymore. His deceit had burned her too badly.

She supposed it wasn't only his lying that made her so irate, but his unconscionable meddling, causing her to go to her impending death, have her fiancee kill her best friend, and as a whole, destroy her life. _**Nope**_, she decided. She had cause enough to hate him. Whatever lies and excuses he no doubt would tell her now, he couldn't charm his way out of this one. The cut was too deep. The damage was too severe. She would hate him for the rest of her existence.

All fourteen hours of it.

As far as three cloaked figures on a hot day in August go, they certainly did receive plenty of strange looks from the tourists at the Santa Maria Novella train station. The locals, however, glanced warily their way, and the gypsies all but disappeared. Where they walked, people cleared a path, as though sensing they were dangerous. Strangely, they were the least harmful of their kind, and Bella could not help but wonder at the irony.

They strode to an empty teller, Demetri pulling out a thick, wad of cash. "Three to Paris, please, and we'd like the Nuptial Suite."

The teller, a young man in his twenties, glanced up at Demetri, and then stared at the beauteous perfections on either side of him. Unable to contain a smile, he merely replied, "1,264 Euros, por favore," and took the cash from his new hero, handing him three freshly printed tickets.

"Train leaves in forty minutes," Demetri said as he turned back to them, and walked a short distance away.

"Nuptial Suite?!" Bella snapped. "Is that some kind of sick joke?!"

Demetri sighed, leaning toward her, speaking in barely a whisper. "It's the most spacious, private room they have. We won't need to wear our cloaks, and no one will bother us. Please, Bella. Trust me."

Bella stared into his golden eyes. "I'll trust you to get us a room on a train. Nothing more."

Demetri's heart sank. "I understand," he said sadly.

Finding the platform and the train waiting, they climbed aboard the second car from the front. An attendant merely peeked at their tickets, and upon seeing the first class insignia, was helpful to show them to their room. He was even more grateful when Demetri slipped him a fifty for his trouble.

The room wasn't large by any means, but included a private bathroom, and two large sofa-like benches on either side with an oval coffee table in between, one which could convert to a double bed. It was nice and private, just as Demetri had promised. _It will do_, Bella thought. _At least in here, we won't need to pretend._

The door now shut and the blind pulled down, they felt free to remove their cloaks. Bella sat beside the window, facing the direction the train would be traveling in, while, once again, Heidi and Demetri sat opposite her, giving her space. The train hadn't even departed yet, and all felt as though this would be a very long train ride.

They did not even have a view to distract them as they sat there, lingering idly in an uncomfortable silence. Bella thought a lot during that wait for the train to move. She thought about home, of Esme and Carlisle, wondering if they worried for her. She thought of Charlie, and how furious he no doubt was to travel all that way from Forks only to find she'd skipped out on him - again. Edward, however, mostly came to mind. She wondered where he was, and if he had yet found Jacob. _Would he be able to do it?_ she questioned. _Could he truly throw all his morals, and love for me aside and kill Jacob?_ She desperately wished to say no, that his ethics and desire to reject the monster would prove strongest, but she wasn't sure. Now, she could only pray that Aro would keep his side of the bargain.

With a shifting lurch forward, the train began to withdraw from the train station, slowly leaving the city behind them. After several minutes, Bella let up the window shade, grateful for something to look at other than the wall, or Demetri's guilty face.

Almost immediately, a knock sounded at the door, and within a flash, Bella lowered the shade, looking cautiously at the door. Demetri rose, ready, and swung the door wide. "Scusilo, signore," said a young man in a uniform with a friendly smile. "Il mio nome è Anthony e..."

Without so much as a blink, Demetri's hand dove into his pocket, expertly withdrawing two hundred euros. "Thank you," he said, smiling while tucking the money into the attendant's hand. "Privacy would be most desired."

The boy cast a quick glance at his newfound treasure, only to smile heartily and nod his head in appreciation, fully comprehending the nature of the payoff. "Grazie, signore! Grazie! Nessun problema!"

Demetri shut the door, and returned to his seat beside Heidi. "That takes care of that..."

Bella again reached over, scrolling up the shade, her eyes turned toward the perfect summer's day just beyond her reach. She knew she should be focusing on the task ahead, but really, what was the point? The Vicomte had hundreds of years more killing experience on her. He may not be able to control her mind, but she hardly felt that was any bonus. She would simply know what was coming before dying a vampire's death. She had heard it in her human past, but never witnessed it. Nevertheless, she knew what it entailed... Would it hurt? Would she feel any pain? Would it be quick, or, like the Marquis de Sade, would it be slow and torturous?

A human's death seemed preferable, she thought, even by James' hand. But, she had chosen this life, and everything that came with it. Somehow, she had not given her demise much consideration. She had simply presumed that life for her and Edward would forever endure, simply passing by like the seasons on a breeze, ever changing, yet ever the same.

Bella had been so lost in thought while watching the world flash past, she hadn't even noticed the sun move across the sky and begin to stream into their side of the train. The flaxen sunlight reflected like shimmering pools upon her skin, and she reveled in its warm kiss.

Demetri whispered something to Heidi. She nodded and rose, effortlessly shrouding herself in her cloak.

"Where are you going?" Bella asked, immediately suspicious. The last thing she wanted was being stuck alone with the liar.

Heidi's eyes were kind. She said nothing, unsure of what to say, but gazed at Bella intently. It was then that Bella gasped, turning to Demetri. Somehow, he did not seem surprised at her reaction.

"Your eyes," Bella said to Heidi, referring to the familiar golden hue. They were a deep caramel colour, with not a trace of crimson. "How long have you been eating like us?"

"Since the day you left," Heidi replied, her face a mixture of emotions. Indeed, she had much to feel guilty for, _**and**_ hateful for... "I'll be back soon," she said, and quietly withdrew.

The two familiar strangers glanced at each other. Demetri broke the silence. "She's not angry at you, you know."

"Why the hell should she be angry with _**me**_?!" Bella snarled, instantly on the defensive.

"I was ordered to give her up, Bella...for you. Aro had wanted you and I to..." but he could not finish. It was simply ungentlemanlike behaviour. And besides, he knew there had never been _**that**_ kind of love between them. There had been another kind, but sadly, that all seemed over with now.

Bella reminisced about the night of the opera. Heidi, gorgeous in her teenie black mini, could not hide the sorrow on her face. Bella had just assumed that it was the breakup that had broken their hearts, and for _**that**_ she had been right. But it was not lack of love that separated the couple. It had been _**her**_. "I never asked for any of that," she said, guilty yet defensive at the same time.

"I know that," Demetri said kindly, "and so does she. It's just been...hard...being separated, but needing one another..."

Her heart was not made out of ice, but it might as well have melted. She knew that sorrow. She had felt it many long months spent alone, apart from her heart's other half. "And yet, you were prepared to do anything Aro wanted? Even...that?" she couldn't say the word. _**Sex**_ suddenly sounded so dirty, when it meant them. Not like how it was with Edward; beautiful, confluent, true.

"You were not long with the Brethren, Bella. When they ask something of you, you are not given a choice. Do you understand? They do not give second chances..."

Yes, that was a phrase Bella was quite familiar with. Too familiar, in fact. "I hate them!" she spat, feeling a seething rage for their manipulating ways, and games of lies and subterfuge.

"Do not hate them," he said, shaking his head. "They are old school, Bella. Born of another world, from another time. They do not think as we do, unaware of offences, and discourtesies. They are...of another generation...antediluvian, and have different ways."

"How can you forgive them so easily?"

Demetri shrugged his shoulders. "It is not as easy as it seems. This was my price, you see. Betraying you, bringing you to them. That was the cost for my and Heidi's freedom. Though she paid dearer than me, I think. For my part, it was paid, but with a heavy heart. You know, I love you, Bella. As a sister...as you and I have always known, I believe. And to hurt you like this...to inform on you and knowingly deceive you...that has been very difficult for me."

But Bella didn't want to think about that yet. She wasn't prepared to think about his guilty conscious after the fact... "And what was Heidi's price?"

At this, Demetri looked abashed, and turned away. But, he had been keeping so much from her, he could not, at this point, refuse to tell her the entire truth. "Just as Aro had designed for us to be...intimate...he likewise had plans for Jacob. A distraction, I can only guess. A way to mollify... The task, unfortunately, fell upon Heidi."

He again looked away, blinking, feeling sick. It had been his doing. It was his plan for them both, but somehow it had gone terribly wrong. Yet, Heidi had said nothing, and did not blame him. She had bedded a man she did not love, all in an effort to be free with the one she did.

"So...why are you two still here? You did your task, right?"

"We are not free yet. My task is not complete until you duel the Vicomte."

"Oh, I see," Bella said, her eyes darkening again. "Only in it for yourself. Fine. Let me die, set up Edward to kill Jacob, but, no worries! After I tear their lives apart, me and my girl get to go free! Well, lucky you!"

"Bella..." Demetri said, shaking his head. "Firstly, you're wrong about Jacob. Aro never intended Edward to actually go through with it. Edward's real mission, though he didn't know it, was to make you _**think**_ that he would. Neither Jacob nor Edward are in any kind of danger."

"Why the hell should I believe one word you say?" Bella spat, her eyes mutinous.

"I don't expect you to forgive me..."

"Well, good. Then you won't be disappointed," Bella retorted.

Demetri felt stung by those sharp words. He leaned back against the headrest. "It's no less than I deserve, but I just have one question. How can you forgive Aro for concocting this crazy scheme, but despise me for merely executing it?"

"Whoa! Who said I forgive Aro, or would ever forgive Aro?! I only hate _**you**_ more because you were my _**friend**_, Demetri! I trusted you! And look where we are?! You're bringing me to the enemy, only to have me slaughtered like that stupid pig painting hanging on your door at the villa!"

"You are not going to die, Bella..."

"Like hell I'm not! Unless, are _**you**_ planning on killing him?"

"No..."

"Then, who is?" her eyes stared at him warily. Was there yet _**more**_ up his corrupt sleeve? "Is there something else that you haven't told me? Who's going to show up there? _**Edward?**_ Because if he does, I _**swear**_ before the Vicomte gets me,_** you die**_. Do you understand me?!"

"Good!" Demetri exclaimed, standing up. "Just like that!"

Bella looked at him as though he were insane. "Excuse me?"

"You're going to be the one to kill him, Bella, but _**that's**_ how you must do it."

"You've lost me..."

"You have newborn strength. He won't be expecting that. He would never think that the Brethren would send a newborn to do their dirty work. So, automatically, we have the upper hand..."

"That still doesn't change the fact that I've never killed a vampire before," she was quick to remind him.

"Yes, that is unfortunate... I was tempted to lock you in a room with Jane, but Aro would never have permitted it."

"Pity..." Bella said darkly. "I would have enjoyed tearing Jane's head off..."

"Yes!" Demetri exclaimed again, now sitting beside her. "That's it exactly, Bella. Don't you see?"

"See what?! What the hell are you talking about?!"

Demetri looked at her dumbfounded. "You have to let the monster go. The vampire has got to take over. Do that, and you'll have him. He won't anticipate it. You'll be a hurricane, wild and ferocious...not at all his style, or what he'd anticipate."

Bella turned away. Release the demon? Let her loose? Did it matter that the very thought of letting go of her control scared her more than anything? "I don't know if I can do that... I've worked so hard to reign it in, Demetri..."

"You don't have a choice."

"But if I go there, I might never come back. Don't you see? The last time I went to that dark place, the demon took over completely. And I...did terrible things. Say I was lucky, and I did kill him, what then? What would become of _**me**_, and anyone standing in my way? I'm not _**me**_ when the demon rules, Demetri. You wouldn't recognize me..."

"It's the only way, Bella. We don't have time to strategize..."

"But, if Aro had always intended me for this, how come I was never trained? Why did he educate me with books, but never how to fight?"

"I'm not sure he really _**did**_ intend you for this, to be honest. It may have started out that way, but you were so his favourite... So different from anything he had ever seen. You did everything you were told, studied laboriously, never complained of what he asked of you... I think in the end, he tried very hard to save you. But..."

"But...what?"

"But...Caius could not be denied."

"Caius!" Bella sneered, her jaw clenched tightly together. "I never liked him!"

"I understand your feeling, but to comprehend the situation, try to see it from the Brethren's perspective. The Vicomte's behaviour is becoming more and more erratic. Children are now disappearing all over the city. There are marches in the streets, demands that the police and government do something. The high government officials know the cause, but can do nothing. They turn to the Brethren, who likewise can do nothing. The situation becomes volatile, and the humans begin to question the Volturi's abilities to handle vampire control..."

"Oh, they wouldn't like that," she said, imagining Caius's face, pinched tight upon being criticized.

"No. Therefore, something had to be done. You, unfortunately. I'm...really sorry, Bella, for the part I played in all of this. Honestly, I never meant to hurt you. I tried on several occasions to alter their plans. I succeeded once; they let you go. I had hoped they would just lose interest...forget about you. I was wrong. I'm sorry..."

Bella stared at the floor, and nodded her head. A part of her couldn't help but forgive him, even if it be only a very small part. But, as she couldn't blame Edward for lying to her about going to kill Jacob, could she blame Demetri for also doing their evil bidding? The Volturi were most assuredly a force to be reckoned with. What they wanted, whatever it was, they got. She was no different, Aro's favourite or not. She was their sacrificial lamb, and she would do as she was told. Just this one last time. "Tell me what I have to do," she whispered, her voice hoarse from dread.

"Firstly," Demetri said, "you must understand what you're up against. Then, we formulate a plan."

"And what _**am**_ I up against?"

"How far did you get into his autobiography?"

"Not far. He had just been sent to the Bastille, I think."

"Then...you did not read the part about _**me**_."

"You?!" she exclaimed, much taken aback. "You knew him when he was human?"

"Yes," Demetri said humbly, but not looking away. "For it was I who changed him."

Bella stared at the contriteness on his face. He was obviously sorry for what he had done, but she knew there was much more to this story. "Why?"

"I'll give you a hint," he said, smiling a humorless smile. "At someone's behest."

"Aro."

"Yes," he said nodding his head. "He had heard of the infamous Vicomte who seemingly could do no wrong, and could coax people to do the most ridiculous of things. Parlour tricks, it was believed. He was notorious at the gaming tables, and always beat out his opponents. Aro believed there was more to this, but was biding his time. And then, the Revolution came. No one was entirely certain what was going to happen, and it wasn't until the Reign of Terror, that the dark days in France became known all over the world. I was sent to France to try my best to discover the Vicomte's whereabouts. His palais had already been ransacked, and the family taken to Paris. He had just been convicted the day I arrived there. I suppose even his powers had not been enough to persuade the raging mob... Not wasting a moment, I stole into the Bastille, killed a few guards, and took him with me."

"But, how did you get away?"

"As a vampire, very easily. I carried him, and we were miles away before any knew he was missing. At the time, he thought me only an angel savior, sent down by God to rescue him. It was dark, he could not see me for what I truly was. It was not until the following day, when we crossed the border into Italy that he saw my face..." Demetri looked away, lost in the grisly memory.

Bella could only imagine the look on the Vicomte's face, the terrified realization that his angel had turned into the devil upon dawn's early light. "And...you bit him..."

"Yes. We stayed there, three days and nights in a farmhouse on the outskirts of Aosta."

"You stayed in a farmhouse?" Bella pondered out loud, trying to put together the pieces.

Demetri's mouth tightened. "I am no longer the person I was. Yes...I feasted. I killed the family who lived there... Looking back, I am more than repentant and disgusted with myself."

"Was it really so bad?" Bella asked. She knew he had killed countless others. What was so different about this farmhouse that would cause such contrition?

Demetri swallowed hard, looking sick. "They had many children..."

"Oh," Bella replied, feeling utterly stupid for persisting in knowing the gory details. "I'm sorry. I understand. Go on," she urged, regretful for making him relive bad memories. He had never done that to her.

He nodded his head. "The Vicomte, Augustin, changed. I brought him to Aro. He learned much with us, and stayed for a long time, not until after the death of Napoleon, I think. Augustin was...incredible. He could sway an entire room to his bidding, even Caius, which...you can imagine how Caius felt about that. But, he seemed to dislike life in Volterra...disliked having his food brought to him....disliked the Brethren's rules. So, he chose to leave them, and he returned to France."

"And they just let him go? No price to be paid, like you?"

"He was too powerful. They had no choice. There were none who could have stopped him, not even Aro, and certainly not me."

"Did his powers amplify after he had become a vampire?"

"Oh yes...drastically. It's a curious thing, having your mind taken over. Almost as though you suddenly discover yourself in a dream-like haze. You feel a pleasant state of being unaware, and do not care about anything. Afterward, you remember the things you had done, or said... Let me simply say that life at Volterra at that time was anything but boring."

"Hmph," Bella said, imagining a vampire with a white powdered wig controlling the Brethren for his own twisted amusement. No wonder Caius was so intent on killing him! "So, what happened after he left?"

"He formed a coven of his own. I have not seen him in nearly a century, despite keeping an ear to the ground regarding his conduct. He is...very dangerous. Not just as a vampire, but also regarding his actions. They are illogical...erratic...boastful. He could ruin us, destroy everything the Brethren have fought to uphold for over three thousand years."

"So, it's all on my shoulders, then," Bella said bleakly. "Great."

"Don't be so quick to give up. I have a plan."

"Well, so long as you have a plan..." she said sarcastically.

Just then, the door opened, and a cloaked Heidi stepped into the room. "Am I too soon? I listened, but there didn't seem to be any more yelling..."

Demetri turned to Bella. This would be her decision. "C'mon in," Bella called, and Heidi cast off her cloak, sitting on the bench opposite them.

An uncomfortable silence ensued, in which none seemed willing to break. At last Heidi said, "So...have you told her the plan?"

"No," Demetri said, grateful for the conversational kick-start. "Bella, when we arrive at his palace..."

"He lives in a _**palace**_?!" Bella interrupted.

"Purchased it upon his return. But, when we arrive there, you must..."

Bella waited expectantly for Demetri to continue, but he could not seem to find the words. What must she do? She knew she had to fight him, but how? "What? Pick a fight?"

"Yes," he said, smiling. "That's it exactly."

Bella gazed from Heidi back to Demetri. "I've never picked a fight in my life! Usually, I try to avoid them..."

Smiling reassuringly, Demetri said, "It'll be quite simple, I promise you. You will merely be challenging him to a duel."

Blinking, Bella replied, "And just how do I do that exactly?"

"Heidi," Demetri said, and both he and Bella turned to see Heidi rise. She held up her hands, showing off her tan leather gloves. Slowly, she pinched each finger on her right hand, gave it a gentle tug so the glove came off effortlessly, and holding outward, she dropped it.

Bella stared at the dropped glove, and then turned to Demetri as though he had gone mad. "You've _**got**_ to be kidding me..."

"I assure you, I'm not."

Bella again stared at the glove, looking far from convinced. "And, he'll know what that _**means**_?" she asked, pointing to it.

"Most certainly."

Closing her eyes, Bella shook her head and began rubbing her weary temple. "You're sure you're not pulling my leg?"

"I promise," he replied, trying very hard not to laugh at her. "That was simply how it was done in his day. That, or taking off the glove and slapping the offending person's face with it. You _**could**_ do that, but..."

"No, no!" Bella said, waving her hand. "I'll drop it. I just think...isn't it a little silly? I mean...it's just a _**glove**_!"

"It's a sign of offence. Believe it or not, he will take the action very seriously. You must trust me on this." But as soon as he said the word _**trust**_, he regretted it. He had no right to ask her to trust him, even though now, to save her life, he so desperately needed it of her.

She looked warily at him. She had picked up on the word as well. "Alright," she said in the end, not wishing to renew their confidence conversation all over again. "You win. I'll drop the glove. He'll probably laugh in my face, but at least I'll get to say, 'I told you so.'"

Demetri smiled kindly, and then rose up. "That sounds like a deal. Now...we haven't much time left," he said, checking his wristwatch. "We must practice some maneuvers while we still can."

Bella rose up, suddenly feeling exceedingly nervous. "What, here?"

"It's the best we can do, I'm afraid. Are you ready?"

Bella pondered the question a moment. Was she? Would she ever be ready for this? "I'm ready," she replied, and at once they got down to business.


	44. Destiny Calls

**44. DESTINY CALLS**

On the far reaches of Dijon, when Demetri told her that there was an hour until their arrival in Paris, Bella gathered her courage and opened her phone. Demetri and Heidi had been considerate and left the compartment. As the train incessantly rattled away down the tracks and an overcast day slowly revealed itself, she began to make her final arrangements and farewells.

She firstly dialed a number she had not called in a very long time. It suddenly felt foreign and unfamiliar. The phone rang. _What time was it there?_ she wondered, glancing at her watch. At last, the phone was picked up, and Renée's sing-song voice said, "Hello!"

"Mom..." Bella said, only to be interrupted with:

"...Thanks for the call, but we're not here right now. Leave a message!"

BEEP! Bella sighed. "Hi, Mom. It's me. Look, I know the fact that I haven't...talked to you in so long is...unforgivable... It's just that...there are things...complicated things...that I can't tell you right now...and I just wanted...I mean...I was hoping that I could talk to you and say that...I'm sorry...for everything. I never meant for things to turn out this way...and...I was just wondering if..."

BEEP! The phone message time ended and promptly hung up. Disheartened, Bella closed her phone. She thought about calling back and continuing the message, but since it was to a machine and not her mother, she didn't see the point.

Again she opened her phone, dialing another semi-familiar number. Charlie didn't have an answering machine, and so after the fifth ring, she was tempted to just hang up. But no; at the last second, he picked up. "Hello?"

Building her courage, she whispered, "Hi Dad."

After a few second's hesitation, Charlie replied, "Bella," his voice tight and controlled. "Um...how...how are you?"

"Alright," she replied. The conversation was so different from their last, she could only presume that he now knew the truth about everything. He seemed distant, as though he didn't know her, but she only had herself to blame for that. "Um...you?"

"I've been better," he replied honestly.

Silence ensued, for neither it seemed knew what to say.

"Well," Bella said, swallowing her fear and pride, "I just wanted to see how you were, and tell you...I'm really...sorry...for everything."

She waited, and the dead air between them filled the phone. "Uh huh," he said in the end, wounding her to her very core.

"Okay," she said, knowing that after everything, she deserved his condemnation. "I...I'd better go."

"Bells?" he said quickly, his voice suddenly wishful and warm. "Come home, okay? We can work this out one way or another. Just...come home."

"I'll try. Really, I will. I love you, Dad."

"Love you too, Bells," he said, his voice cracking, but it may have just been the long distance connection.

They bid each other goodbye, and Bella thought she might very well cry. As always, Aro's prophetic words came back to haunt her. _No happy endings..._

She sighed. One last call to make. Strangely, the one she most feared and looked forward to at the same time. She knew, however, that Edward needed to know. After all, this was most likely the last conversation she was ever going to have with him, so she wanted it to count. Bella pressed the all important buttons on her speed dial that would take her to him, if only by phone.

It rang, and within the first ring, he eagerly picked up. "Hello?" he called.

She could sense his concern. She smiled however, delighting in hearing the voice she'd know anywhere. "Edward, it's me."

"Bella!" he said, sighing with relief. "Where are you?"

"On a train to Paris."

"Paris? Why?"

"First things first," she insisted. She would save telling him of her mission for later. "Where are you?"

"Poland. Yes, I've found Jacob and no, I haven't killed him," he said, answering her questions before she even had the opportunity of asking them.

So, Jacob was not dead. "And...are you still to do it?" she asked anxiously. What if Aro hadn't told him the deal? What would she do then?

"No, it's been called off. Bella..." he said, his voice entreating her, "what have you done?"

"I only did what you, or Carlisle, or anyone would have done in my place. I did what was necessary to save not just you, and not just Jacob, but both of you."

It was a moment before Edward could reply, but Bella thought she had heard a soft, stifled sob on the other end of the phone. "You shouldn't have done that. I would've found a way... I wouldn't have killed him, Bella. You know that, don't you? I wanted to believe I could, if it meant I'd have you, but...I just couldn't..."

"I'm glad," she said, smiling, though feeling very much as though she were about to cry. "But, I can't change this now. This is something I've just got to do."

"What...what the hell are they making you do?"

Bella paused. How to tell? She dreaded his reaction, but after all they had been through, after all the ups and downs, they deserved to be honest with one another. "I have to kill someone. That's what it all boils down to," she said, her voice hollow and lifeless. Even as she said it, the words didn't seem real, as though she were merely playacting, and not preparing for war and death.

Edward took a deep breath, as though steadying himself. "Who?"

"Le Vicomte du Toulon. Ever heard of him?" She hoped he hadn't, not with the Vicomte's sordid past, anyway. It would just make Edward worry even more.

"It doesn't ring a bell... What's this all about, though? Why are they making _**you**_ do this?"

"Oh, you know how it is. It would seem that no one else in the world would do but me this time. It'll be okay," she said with more reassurance than she herself believed. "I do this, and it'll all be over with. No one will go after Jacob...your debt will be repaid. We can go on with our lives."

"Bella, I want you to listen to me. When you arrive in Paris, wait for me. I'll go with you. We can do this together. This isn't something you have to do alone."

"I'm not alone," she replied, pondering over his words. "Demetri and Heidi are with me."

"Just..._**wait**_ for me, alright? Give me four hours, five tops, and I'll meet you at the train station."

Bella had never been more tempted to say yes in her life. She figured she could be brave if Edward were by her side, but Demetri's ominous words floated back to her. Visions of mind control, making vampires do the most horrible things, and having no willpower... She could see the future as though she were Alice. The Vicomte, cruel and heartless, would turn Edward against her. No, she couldn't let that happen...

"Bella?!" he cried, concerned over the incessant silence.

"I'm sorry... No, Edward. That's not a good idea."

"Like hell it's not, if I can protect you, I will!"

She smiled. Yes, he had long considered himself her protector, but this was one instance where she was completely on her own. She was the only one the Vicomte could not manipulate. This was her destiny, and no matter how desperately Edward wanted it, he could not alter her fate. "I'm sorry, Edward. You can't protect me this time."

"Bella..." he begged.

But her decision was made. She hated hurting him, only this was one battle he was never going to win. She hadn't bargained with the three Satans on this earth to save him, merely to throw his life back in jeopardy just because she was afraid. "No, Edward. But I will compromise. Come to Paris."

Silence followed her last reply. "What are you up to, Bella?"

She let out a weak laugh. "If by some miracle I survive this, you'll be the first thing I'll want to see."

"Where? Where do you want to meet?"

Bella blinked. She hadn't any idea. But then she smiled, thinking it incredibly corny, but loved the idea of it just the same. "The Eiffel Tower. Can it get anymore sappy?"

"We can only hope so," Edward replied humourlessly. A silent moment passed, and then he quietly asked, "Are you scared?"

"I am scared..." she said, wanting to be honest and express her full heart's feeling without worrying how he might react. This time, he could do nothing. "I'm scared that I'll die...that I'll lose you... I'm also scared that I'll win...what I'll have to do to win... What if I don't come back from that? What if...the demon takes hold? What if that part of me dies, even though my body will live?"

She could hear him breathing deeply, and knew he was in pain. There were no answers to her questions. "Change your mind, Bella. Let me come along."

"If we were to change places, would you let _**me**_ come along?"

"Yes," Edward shot back immediately.

"Liar," she replied, smiling. But it felt good to smile, almost as if he were there, on the train, but in another compartment. "You're not mad, are you? That it has to be this way?"

"Does it? Does it have to be this way?"

"Yes," she said, nodding her head. "It does."

"Then no, I'm not mad. But, I still wish you'd change your mind."

"The Eiffel Tower, then?" she said wistfully. "I'll see you in Paris?"

"Okay," he said, his voice cracking again. "See you in Paris. I love you, Bella. I expect you to come to me, you hear me?"

"I'll try."

"You do that. You try very hard. Do whatever it takes. My God, I love you..."

"I love you, too," she said, looking out the window as the sun burst through the thick clouds, illuminating a sloping vineyard, only to disappear seconds later.

Edward snapped the phone closed, and turned his gaze eastward over the rolling hills. Dawn was just beginning to crest, and it lit up the misty pockets of cloud in the lowlands.

"She's in a lot of danger, isn't she?" Jacob said behind him.

Edward didn't need to turn around to answer. He merely nodded his head, and said gruffly, "Yes."

"'Cus of me?"

"And me too," he said kindly. He had never had much consideration to be kind to Jacob Black, but a newfound respect for him was beginning to grow.

"And, she won't let you help?"

"No," Edward replied, and then cleared his throat and rose up off the ground. "Well, Jacob. Looks like this is where we part company. Bella's going to Paris, so that's where I belong too."

Edward held out his hand, but Jacob merely stared at it, confused. "No way, Dickwad. If I can help, I want to come!"

"She doesn't want our help," Edward said, lowering his hand. "Alice, Jasper! Time to go."

"Why is this just _**your**_ decision?" Jacob asked as Tatiana strode up beside him, her blue eyes gazing intently at Edward. Vladimir and Sasha also strode in closely, attentively listening to every word. "We should all have a say here."

"This isn't my decision," Edward countered. "It's Bella's. I don't even know where she's going, or where the hell this Vicomte lives!"

Jasper sharply turned his head. "Le Vicomte du Toulon?"

"Yeah," Edward replied, instantly apprehensive. "You know him?"

"Of him," Jasper corrected. "Why is she going there?"

"Take a guess," Edward replied, reluctant to say the words he didn't want to think about.

"A duel?!" Jasper said incredulously. "Then, you have every right to be worried, Edward. If half the myths about him are true, Bella is in a great deal of danger."

"Right," Edward said, nodding his head. "Nothing for it, then. We'll just have to look him up when we get to Paris, and crash the party."

Both Alice and Jasper nodded their heads, and again, Edward turned to Jacob and Tatiana. "So, it's goodbye."

Tatiana, however, had other plans. "No," she replied, her face calm and resolute. "You vill need numbers. Ve must come too."

"No way," Edward said, shaking his head. "If word gets back to Aro that you were there, things could get rough. It's better if we do this ourselves."

"Save your hypocritical crap for someone else," Jacob shot back. "You need us; we're going."

"I think they should, Edward," Alice said, taking Jasper's hand. "If this Vicomte is as bad as Jasper thinks he is, more people makes more sense."

Before Edward even had a chance to reply, Jacob broke in. "You think I don't know what's going on? Why she's doing this? I saved _**your**_ life, so she's saving _**mine**_. C'mon, Edward. This is stupid. Accept the fact, and let's get the hell on the way. We've just _**wasted**_ ten minutes arguing. We still have a freaking plane to catch!"

Edward gazed at every face in the company. All were staring at him, expectant of his next words. Why must he always instinctively resist what appears so clearly to everyone else? It was a strike against his pride. Was he constantly so very wrong? "If I'm the only one against this, then, fine. Come along."

"Finally!" Jacob said, and turned to Tatiana. "Baby, I think you should stay here. It'll be safer."

Tatiana raised her eyebrows, giving him a scalding hot look. Instinctively, he took a step backward. "_**You**_ have no say," she reminded him pointedly. "_**I**_ give orders here. I go. End discussion."

Jacob opened his mouth to speak, but no words would pass his lips. The alpha had spoken, giving the final word.

As everyone gathered their bags and belongings around camp, Edward smirked, whispering to Jacob, "She's really got you on a short leash..."

"Shut up," Jacob said, likewise under his breath.

"There's a word for guys like that..." he continued, revelling in Jacob's embarrassment.

"Shut...up..." Jacob whispered again, his face red.

When all were gathered together, Edward remarked, "Try to keep up."

Within a blink of an eye, the vampires were off, followed closely by Tatiana and her boys emerging out of the bushes in their wolf's clothing. With every step, like a heartbeat, they flew closer to their purpose. Yet, Edward's heart bled for the fear of the situation. Would they make it there in time?


	45. Le Vicomte du Toulon

**45. LE VICOMTE DU TOULON**

Demetri tapped lightly upon the door to their little room on the train. Bella could not help but smile. He could always be counted on to be courteous. "Bella?" he said, poking his head in. "Do you need more time?"

"No," she said, watching him step inside and shut the door. He sat down beside her, and for the first time since all had become known to her, it didn't seem strange. The distance was now gone, as was her fervent anger. Saying her goodbyes had put her in a melancholy mood, and here, at the end of her life, there seemed little point in staying mad at him.

She had wondered what she and Edward would have done if their places were reversed with Heidi and Demetri. Would they have been willing to do the things Demetri and Heidi had done? She didn't think so. They'd have sooner run away, fleeing to the ends of the earth; choosing instead to forever hide from the outstretched hand of the enemy than betray each other's love.

But, who was she to judge Demetri, after all? She had not known his life, his existence. She had not been a part of his experiences. How different would she have been if she had been changed by someone other than Edward? Would she have been nothing but a demon, out of control and wild? Her new family had kept her grounded, attached to her humanity and spirit. Could she now chastize Demetri and Heidi for having a less fortunate upbringing? They had loved each other so much, they were willing to do anything to be together. That, in the very least, meant something.

But, she was so unlike them; so different. The demon within terrified her. And now, as they moved ever closer to Paris and the Vicomte, she would have to test it all. Test her will, fortitude, and strength. She couldn't be sure if she had enough power to survive, much less return from the demon unscathed...

Demetri watched Bella in deep contemplation. He did not envy her, for he knew far better than she what she was soon to be up against. "Does Edward know of what we are to do?"

She nodded, yes. "I asked him to come to Paris...just in case I survive."

Demetri raised his eyebrows. "You don't honestly believe he would come all that way and _**not**_ try to help you?"

"Don't you mean _**save**_ me?"

"Yes," he admitted. "'Save' is a more appropriate word for Edward..."

Bella's brow furrowed. She should never underestimate Edward... "How long until we get to Paris?"

"Nearly an hour."

"And then, how long to the Vicomte's house?"

"From Paris to the Palais du Chaville...forty minutes by car."

The wheels in Bella's mind continued to turn. "And Warsaw to Paris?"

Demetri pondered over this for a minute. "Three and a half hours, if there's no delay..."

"Is that possible?"

Demetri blinked at her. "Pardon?"

"I don't know... Do you have those kind of connections?"

Still feeling as though he were missing part of the conversation, he asked, "You want to delay his flight to Paris?"

"Yeah. Can you do that?"

"Yes...but, are you sure you want to?"

At this, Bella looked resolute. "If it means preventing him from trying to rescue me...absolutely."

Demetri took out his phone, but did not appear to be in any great rush to get the deed done. "Bella, I'm not sure you know what you're asking of me. Think a moment. Maybe Edward is right. Maybe we should just wait for him."

"How do you know what he wants me to do?" she said, her eyes wary.

"Edward's motives concerning you are not difficult to discern, Bella. One would be a simpleton to not presume that he would do everything in his power to prevent you from doing what you're about to do. Whether it be him taking your place in the duel or..."

"Exactly," she said, nodding her head, interrupting. "You know the Vicomte. You, more than anyone, know what he's capable of."

"But, don't you think..."

But Bella was quick to cut him off again. "Are you telling me that Edward wouldn't be in any kind of danger? That the Vicomte wouldn't use Edward against me? Control his mind, or whatever, and torture him to get to me?"

This time, Bella had called his number. "I can't say for certain what Augustin will or won't do..."

"Exactly my point. Edward can't defeat him, you said so yourself. Decision made. If he can't help, he's only a danger. To himself, and to me." She turned away, staring out the window. It would cost her her life, but it was worth it. This was simply the price she would have to pay...

"Alright," he said at last, still sounding unconvinced. "It's your call." He flipped open the phone, pressing the speed dial. "Gianna, Demetri. I'd like to request all flights bound for Paris out of Warsaw be delayed no less than...two hours. Think you can manage it? Thanks, bye."

"Just like that? You don't need to give a reason?" Bella asked, watching him pocket his phone.

"They know who's in Poland, Bella..."

"Oh," she said, once again turning her gaze to the French countryside flying passed. She hoped she was doing the right thing. Repeating the thought that he would not be able to help her did little to ease the pain of not seeing him one last time. But in the end, she knew this was right. It was a bitter pill to swallow, but better to prevent something horrible from taking place than regretting it later.

The door opened and Heidi, clad in her dark grey cloak, stepped in shutting the door behind her. "We're nearly there. Twenty minutes to go. Are you nervous?" she asked Bella, who looked even more pale than usual.

"A little," she admitted, wondering if all people sentenced to die felt the same eerie calm before the storm. She thought of the Vicomte's wife and children, the unlucky ones who had not been so fortunate to have been saved by Demetri, and instead met Madame Guillotine. Had they been afraid as they made the long, lonely climb up the stairs? The roar of the savage mob in their ears, the blood of fellow aristocrats at their feet, standing in the long, cold shadow of the knife?

It was now Bella's turn, and as the train at last pulled into Paris' Bercy station, she knew her time had at last run out. The train stopped with a grinding lurch, but the three vampires on board, now standing shrouded in their long cloaks, did not loose balance. They were at last in Paris, and had to be on their way.

They had received quite a few stares in Florence, but that was nothing compared to the outright ogling they earned now. Two passers by had even been bold enough to snap some pictures. Their faces were well concealed neath the thick hoods, but Bella knew they were looking more than a little conspicuous.

"Why is everyone staring? I mean, more than ususal?" Bella hissed to Demetri so quickly no human could have heard her.

"Vampires don't come out during the day in Paris," he explained, likewise in an ultra-fast whisper. "Too many sunny days. Here, they prefer the nightlife. More choices for dining..."

Bella gave an involuntary shudder. The merest thought of feeding satiated her mouth with venom. It was unfortunate that her nostrils were filled with the scent of hundreds of humans milling around them. But, like so many times before, Bella swallowed the venom, held onto her breath, and suppressed the demon. She was not needed. Not yet, in any case...

It was easy enough to rent a flashy, black Mercedes in Paris. And even though they raced through the streets toward impending violence and mayhem, all seemed relieved to feel the speed and freedom that a fast car could afford.

The windows down, and a warm August day in their grasp, Demetri expertly sped out of the city, out onto open highway.

Bella called out, "What's the plan for when he realizes he can't control my mind?"

"No plan," Demetri replied, racing around another car. "We'll just have to hope that he doesn't notice right away."

"But what if he does?" Bella countered, her anxiety increasing. There were simply too many unknown variables with the Vicomte. Too many things they couldn't plan for. He was a loose cannon.

"That's not his style," Demetri justified, turning the wheel around a hairpin curve in the road. "He wouldn't want to seem rude."

Bella shook her head in disbelief. Just who _**was**_ this Vicomte, who ate children, but wouldn't want to seem rude to a guest come to assassinate him?

She hesitated. There was yet another question to ask. One that disturbed her more than anything else. "One last question... He controls minds, right?"

Demetri paused, confused. "_**That's**_ your question?" He had supposed he had already answered that.

"No. What's to stop him from controlling everyone's mind there, including yours and Heidi's and attacking me during the duel?"

Strangely enough, Demetri laughed. "Obviously, you haven't spent much time around eighteenth century aristocrats... Not a possibility, Bella."

"How can you be so sure?" Bella asked, incredulous to his easy dismissal.

But Demetri merely shook his head. "That's not how a duel works. There are rules."

"So? He's a crazy, sadistic vampire who eats children for breakfast! What the hell is he going to care about rules to a duel when no one duels anymore?"

"Oh, people still do them... Vampires mostly. I can't make you understand, Bella. You are too young. You're not of the time, or at the least, and I hope you do not take offense to this, but...you're not European, Bella. Your _Romeo and Juliet_ involves Leonardo DiCaprio wielding a handgun. Whereas when I picture Romeo, I see Raurcourt."

"Who?"

"My case in point," Demetri replied apathetically. "The rules of a duel are absolute. More so in a duel to the death. This is very much your 'two men enter, one man leave' scenario. Or...woman, in this case."

"But," Bella broke in, "that's crazy. I could fight him, be close to killing him, and no one will step in to save him?"

"To interfere in a duel is beyond dishonorable, Bella. He would never allow it. Now, should you kill him, his second might very well try to finish you off at his command."

"Whoa! Just how many people am I going to be killing, here? I thought it was just one! _**One vampire**_, you said!"

It was Demetri's turn to feel uncomfortable. "There is a slim chance..."

"Slim chance?" Bella repeated scornfully. "Great..."

In a space that seemed all too fast for comfort's sake, they were there. "That's Chaville up ahead," Demetri called out, as he turned off the highway, and down a country road bordered by sweeping green fields and immense copper beech trees.

Demetri turned off the main road once again, and there in the distance, a massive baroque chateau could be seen. There was no gate, which struck Bella as peculiar, but the sweeping lawns were expertly manicured with sprays of colourful flowers, and trimmed hedgerows. It was as stately as it was forbidding. It spoke of power, royalty, and the distant days of grandiose nobility.

"No gates?" Bella wondered aloud. "No security?"

She could not see Demetri's smirk, a fact which he was grateful for. "Oh, over the centuries, many humans have attempted to rob it, with grave results."

The building itself was made of white bricks with four circular turrets at each corner rising high into the air. Altogether, there were four floors, with substantial glass windows and a high, pitched roof, complete with 24 karat gold crosses at each gabled peak.

Bella sat gaping, awed by its magnificence, and daunted by a sudden feeling of insignificance compared to its regal grandeur. "I don't think I can do this," she said in a small voice.

Demetri stopped the car outside the palais' sweeping stone staircase, leading up to a solitary door, no less than sixteen feet tall. "You want to leave?" he asked pointedly. If she asked it of him, he would do it, even though it would cause nothing but trouble for everyone involved.

"No," Bella said, her eyes wide and she stared up at the palace walls which seemed to touch the very sky. "I'm just not sure I won't crumble at the sight of him."

Demetri turned around, the better to see her. His golden eyes brought strength. "Courage, Bella. We shall not leave you. One way or another. Do you understand? None of us will be free until this is done."

Bella stared at him, and then glanced at Heidi who sat motionless, forever staring ahead, as though not listening. If Bella were to change her mind, she knew Heidi would have great cause to object, but would not. She would follow Demetri's lead, wherever it may steer them.

But Bella knew she could not change her mind. Edward was delayed, but not forever. If she did not do this here, now, she would simply have to return at another time and battle another day. And worst of all, what would the Brethren say?

No. They were here, and she knew she must not let her hysterical fear get the better of her.

"Bella?" Demetri asked, as he turned to see the great door swing open.

"Let's get this over with," Bella said at last, slipping on Heidi's tan gloves, and opening her door. _Madam Guillotine is waiting..._

A lone gentleman vampire stood at the open doorway, dressed in pale khaki pants and a white t-shirt. He seemed to recognize Demetri, for he smiled when he saw him. "Tiens, Demetri! Ça fait longtemps!"

"Oui, bonjour, François! Comment allez-vous?" Demetri said, as they strode up the steps, and he shook François' hand. Bella could easily see the ruby red gleam in his eye.

"J'ai tellement le cafard!" François said, raising up his hands. "Et vous?"

Bella stared as the tête-à-tête ensued. She was utterly lost in the conversation, and her only guide that things were going well was the seemingly careless smile upon Demetri's face. He played cool very well, she concluded.

Demetri glanced at her, and then back to François. "Ça ne me dit pas grand-chose. Où est le maître de la maison?"

François thought a moment before replying. He glanced for the first time at Bella, and Heidi before once again smiling lightheartedly to Demetri. "Il est ici. Entrez." He turned, and strode into the palace while the others followed in his wake.

Never before had Bella been surrounded by such magnificence. It was most assuredly a palace, one fit for the Queen of England. The floors were made of solid marble, as was the sweeping staircase directly ahead of them, which curled to the left as it seemed to forever turn upwards toward the heavens. A large glass dome was in its centre, flooding the entranceway with light. It was a far cry from the dark, oppressive rooms of the Villa du Volturi. Here, ferns cascaded out of planters, and rich furnishings could be seen at every angle. They were surrounded by a sea of white, from the drapes to the floor beneath their feet. Instinctively, Bella was scared to touch anything.

François strode over to a small table at the foot of the stairs. He picked up the phone, and began talking to someone. A curious noise sounded to Bella's left. She turned her head sharply to see a small, black camera attached to the wall, focusing its gaze upon them. Unnerved by being watched, Bella turned away, ignoring the imposing glare.

Hanging up the phone, François said, "Le Vicomte vous verra maintenant. Suivez-moi."

He began to ascend the stairs, and Demetri motioned for them to follow. A faint sound of music could be heard echoing through the monumental hallways which Bella believed to be wider than Charlie's house back in Forks. She recognized the song as one of Renée's favourites during her French phase several years ago. _Edith Piaf_, Bella thought to herself, certain beyond a doubt. _Non, je ne regrette rien..._ Had she not been so terrified, she was tempted to hum along. That phase of her life included eating nothing but French food, watching French black and white movies without subtitles in an attempt to learn the language, and a harebrained plot to move to Paris and so Renée could study fashion design. Those aspirations ruled both Renée and Bella's life for three weeks until Renée discovered Buddhism.

Upon the second floor gallery, they passed two vampires sitting leisurely in the sunlight reading the newspaper. They smiled as the four passed, and one had the boldness to wink at Bella! _**I know I'm in France now**_, she thought to herself as they walked onward down the never ending sea of windows on their left, and massive rows of centuries old portraits to their right. The music became louder as they approached, but it sounded scratchy, as though coming from an antique gramophone.

They turned the corner, and at the far end of an enormous reception room sat the Vicomte. Bella blinked, for at first, she thought she must be mistaken. Two female vampires stood on either side of him, looking blank-faced and beautiful in filmy white dresses.

As for the Vicomte, himself, Bella was forced to abandon her mental image of a powdered 18th century aristocrat, perfumed, and dolled up in a profusion of silk and lace. If that was how he once had been, he certainly had changed with the times. He now sat on his throne-like chair dressed entirely in white, his shirt sleeves rolled up just below his elbows. He was older than she had expected, appearing nearly forty in human years with cropped dirty blond hair, but was not unattractive. He rose upon seeing Demetri, and smiled, flashing his pearly white teeth.

"Demetri, mon ami! Il a eu trop longtemps! Comment allez-vous?" The Vicomte strode over to them, and upon reaching Demetri, they promptly hugged each other, and exchanged kisses on both cheeks.

"Bon, merci," Demetri replied, smiling. "Et vous?"

"Je ne peux pas me plaindre," replied the Vicomte, less pleased than Demetri. "Paris devient affreusement mas. Mais assez au sujet du moi..." His red eyes turned to Bella, and he smiled. "N'allez-vous pas me présenter?"

Bella blinked at him, and they both turned expectantly to Demetri. "Naturellement," Demetri said. "Augustin, may I present to you my mate, Heidi, and my friend, Bella. Heidi and Bella, Le Vicomte du Toulon."

"Augustin," the Vicomte corrected, ignoring Heidi altogether and taking Bella's hand. He rose it up to his lips, but suddenly appeared confused upon seeing the glove. He blinked at her a moment, before wryly turning her hand over, exposing her pale wrist. "Enchanté, Bel-la," he said, and kissed it. "Parlez-vous Français, Chérie?"

As Augustin stared at Bella hopefully, Demetri replied, "No, she doesn't. And you can forget Italian."

"Ah, zat is a pity," Augustin replied, his witty smile never leaving his face. "When in France, you must speak French, Bel-la! Is a beau name you 'ave," he said, taking her hand and carelessly linking their arms together. Instinctively she followed his lead as they made their way over to a sitting area of two white sofas facing each other. "Tell me, Bel-la. You are American, non?"

"Yes," Bella said, smiling weakly.

"Is zis your first time to France?"

"Yes," Bella replied, wishing very much that he would let go of her arm.

"Ah! Zen you 'ave much to see! Paris is a shit 'ole, if you will pardon my French. Not worth visiting. But 'ow nice you 'ave come to me! I like zis very much! Am I right in zinking you are still Volturi, Demetri?"

"Yes," Demetri replied, sitting beside Heidi as Bella and Augustin sat opposite them, their arms still clasped together. "Aro wishes you well."

"Bah!" Augustin retorted, his beautiful face turning sour. "Zee old fool wishes me dead, Demetri; you cannot deceive me."

"You are quite wrong, I assure you," Demetri replied with all seriousness. "It is _**Caius**_ who wishes you dead, not Aro."

His eyebrows raised, Augustin turned to Demetri, and for one moment, Bella was unsure what the vampire sitting next to her was going to do. Astonishingly enough, he began to laugh, upon which everyone else joined in, including her. Even the two austere French vampires, still standing unmoved, cracked smiles. "Demetri!" Augustin said, waving a finger at his maker. "Zat is why I 'ave always liked you! You 'ave such a sense of 'umour! Ah, zut! But you must forgive me! It is long since I 'ave entertained! Adele," he said, turning to one of the ladies, "sonné pour des rafaîchissements."

Adele strode away, and Bella saw Demetri's face stiffen, and then relax. She knew she had missed something in the conversation.

"Now, tell me, Bel-la," Augustin continued, once again turning his amorous eyes on her. "Are you also with zee Volturi?"

_How to reply?_ Bella wondered. She caught the slightest nod to Demetri's head, and so quickly said, "Yes."

"And 'ow long 'ave you been with zem?" Augustin asked, stroking her arm as though it were a cat.

"Uh...about a year now," she replied, fighting the urge to move her arm away from his encroaching touch.

"And 'ow do you like living in such a dark, dreary, cave-like 'ole?"

Bella smiled, choosing her words carefully. "It takes a bit of getting used to..."

"Oui!" Augustin exclaimed, at last releasing her arm. "Absolument! Zat, I could never do! N'est-ce pas, Demetri? 'E knows it is so. Zee Frères live in Middle Ages! Me?" he said demurely, once again turning his wooing gleam Bella's way. "I enjoy life...light...zee pleasures of zis world. I do not shut myself away like a bat! 'Ere, we are free to live 'ow we shoose. You would like it 'ere much better, I zink. Will you not stay a while, and zink about it?"

Just then, Adele strode in, her dainty hand clamped firmly on the scruff of a young, human boy's neck. He did not look any older than nine, and his chest heaved as he appeared on the verge of hyperventilating.

"Ah, Adele!" Augustin spouted. "Bel-la, surely you must be t'irsty after your voyage. Please," he said, gesturing his hand towards the boy. "Bon apatite."

Bella turned, and stared at the frightened boy whose knees were beginning to shake. Turning back to Augustin, Bella smiled and said, "No, thank you."

That had not been the reply Augustin was expecting. He blinked curiously at Bella, and then smiled once again. "I insist, Bel-la. You really must try 'im. The children of this region of France are particularly délicieux."

"I'm not thirsty," was her reply, which caused Augustin's eyes to narrow. She knew that look. She had seen it so often before when others with abilities struggled futilely to use their powers against her. He was trying to control her mind and kill the boy; she was sure of it. Never before had she been so grateful of her inability to be controlled in her entire existence.

He looked peculiarly at her, as though trying to solve a pyridoxal riddle that was her. "Zair is somezing about you... Je ne sais quoi..." And then at last, having stared into her eyes to discern the hidden mystery, he pounced upon it. "Les yeux! Your eyes, Chérie. Are you wearing contacts?"

"No," Bella said. "We, Demetri, Heidi, and myself, do not feed off of humans anymore."

"C'est quoi?! Pas, c'est impossible! 'Ow on earth do you survive?"

"We feed on animals," Bella said, growing more nervous with each passing second.

At this, Augustin laughed as though he had been told a rather good joke. "Non! Surely you jest, Chérie Bel-la!"

"Nonetheless," Demetri piped up steadfastly, "for Bella and myself it has been nearly a year."

"Non!" Augustin said in astonished disbelief. "A year of eating what?"

His eyes bore into Bella's, and she knew he expected and answer from her. "In Volterra, mainly goats."

"Goats?!" Augustin repeated incredulously, bursting into uproarious laughter. "Bel-la, c'est ridicule! 'Umans _**are**_ animals, I assure you! La! What do they call baby goats, I ask of you?"

Bella's smile now gone, her stomach could not help but tighten in anxiety. "Kids."

"Oui, kids!" he exclaimed, still staring at her with the same confused air. "One 'kid' is like another. Taste, and you will see!"

Bella looked away, to the floor, unsure of what to do or say. She knew at some point she would have to be removing her glove, but when? How?

Seemingly instinctively, Augustin looked down and her gloved hands, and then back over to Demetri. All humour now evaporated, he said, "Alors, if she will not 'ave 'im, Demetri, I insist you do so."

Demetri's face had seemed far from stressed, as he was masterfully controlling his emotions, but suddenly, his face cleared, and became like stone. Heidi grasped his arm in a desperate attempt to show reason, but either he chose not to heed her, or was completely unaware of her motion at all. He rose, and reached the child within four strides. Bella sat horrified as in one swift motion, the boy was in his arms, his lifeblood being drained away by Demetri's powerful jaws.

Bella's felt utterly sick. And yet, she suddenly thanked herself that her gut instinct to exclude Edward from this meeting had been the right one. If Augustin could make Demetri do something as heinous as this against his will, what else could he do?

Demetri, having sucked the boy dry, broke free from his neck, and the cloud covering his eyes lifted. Disgusted is not a strong enough word to describe how he felt as such a moment. Nor disappointed. Was he so very weak, that after so long from being away from Augustin, he could be so easily manipulated and taken advantage of? All he could do was stare in horror at the pale corpse in his hands, now limp and lifeless caused by him.

Augustin, on the other hand, had been watching the scene unfold with a vigilant eye. He had noticed all, from Heidi's panicked motion, to Bella's gasp. He rose up, and strode over to Demetri, who still seemed wholly engrossed by the small boy. "Demetri, c'est quoi? Was 'e not fine? Do not tell me that 'e was _**less**_ satisfying...than a goat?!" he said, laughing uproariously.

Bella's eyes met Demetri's and she had never felt so much pity for another of her kind. She could see the remorse on his face, and the all-too-clear loathing of having Augustin's words proven true. There was nothing like the taste of humans, as they all well knew. And there never would be. But this was what separated them from the rest, and returned them their humanity.

Unwilling to see him suffer any more, Bella rose, and staring at Augustin, began to pinch each finger on her right hand.

He turned to her, his smile slowly fading from his face. "Bel-la, what are you doing?"

With a gentle tug, the glove came off, and she held it outwards, dangling from her left hand.

"Bel-la, _**non**_!" Augustin warned, his face now serious. "Non, non, non!"

He took a step forward, but was too late. The glove was dropped and landed on the silken carpet at her feet. "_**Merde**_, Bel-la!" he exclaimed, striding toward her. "_**Why**_ did you do zat?! Do you not know what zis means?! Now, I shall have to _**kill**_ you, n'est-ce pas? Alors!" He began pacing about the room, in supposed contemplation, seemingly looking for a way out of the duel.

Demetri gently put the boy down upon a settee on the far wall, oblivious to the commotion and goings on. Bella turned to Heidi for guidance. "What do I do?" she whispered while Augustin mumbled incessantly to himself in French.

"You know what you've got to do," she hissed back as she strode passed, going over to embrace Demetri. Bella felt utterly alone. But, she always knew she would, in this case. She was the untouchable one. This was how it must be.

Augustin strode over to her, looking very much like a stern parent. "We must duel. I see no way around zat. But I need not kill you, Bel-la. C'est bien?"

"No," Bella replied. "To the death."

Augustin rolled his head, as though frustrated with the language barrier. "I do not want to kill you, _**understand**_?!" he bellowed, waving his arms about with every word. "We fight, and then stop. N'est-ce pas?!"

"I understand you," Bella said, her voice eerily calm, "and I reject your offer. I say once again, to the death."

His eyes glued to her unwavering face, Augustin stepped away. "You...do not jest with me?"

"No."

Understanding, as well as an evil grin, dawned upon his beautiful face. "Zat is why zay sent you. I knew zair was somezing about you..." he said, waving his tell-tale finger at her. He sighed, and sat down. "Are you certain I cannot shange your mind? Offer you somezing in return? I do like you, Bel-la...very much... It would be such a waste to kill somezing as lovely as yourself..."

"What I want," she said honestly, "you cannot give me."

"Non?" he said. "At least I tried. Zay must hate you a great deal to send you to me like zis."

"Au contraire," Bella replied, using one of her few known French phrases. "I am Aro's favourite."

"Zat, I would never believe. 'E would not send you to me if he loved you, Bel-la!"

"I never said he loved me," Bella retorted. "Now, shall we begin?"

A laugh escaped Augustin. "So anxious to kill me? Well, if it is what you wish, Chérie, I shall oblige." He rose up. "Follow me, if you please."

Augustin lead the way, while Bella, Demetri, Heidi, and the five vampires followed. Down the stairs they went, back to the first floor, and out to the other side of the house. "Is beautiful, no?" he said conversationally as they went, as though giving a house tour, and not walking her to her death. "Seventy-six t'ousand square feet in total, t'ree hundred and sixty-five windows, one for each day of zee year. Fifty-two fireplaces, one for each week of zee year. Twelve turrets, one for each month... But, zee _**real**_ beauty is zis room!" he said, leading them into a massive ballroom. He casually flicked the switch, and two enormous crystal chandeliers lit up, which illuminated the ridiculously high ceiling painted with celestial heavens complete with flying cherubs. The four surrounding walls were hung with immense gilded mirrors, and the floor was cut in an array of fine parquet wood.

"You wish to duel _**here**_?" Bella asked dubiously.

"_**NON!**_" Augustin replied as though she were mad. "What if you damaged somezing! No, no, no! I have dueling room. Follow me."

Bella's heart sank. He had a dueling room. He knew what he was doing much more than she did. This would not end well for one of them, and with every step, she was more certain that it would be her. Another passage led to another set of stairs, this time, leading downwards to the cellar. The room in which they now congregated was free of unnecessary frippery and decoration. Small windows close to the ceiling let in some natural light, and to their left, a wall of mirrors. A row of dueling swords decorated the far wall, but Augustin did not reach for them. They would not be needed for two vampires. They _**themselves**_ were the weapons.

Demetri strode up to Bella. As he spoke, she could not help but notice the newfound ruby gleam in his eyes. "Remember what we talked about? Your power lies in your mind. You must be fearless to let go. You have it in you, Bella. He is reluctant to kill you. Use that to your advantage. And above all else, let the demon loose."

Bella nodded her head, and tried with all her might to not appear as terrified as she was. She turned to see Augustin, now shirtless, stretching and warming up for the fight.

"Voici!" Augustin called. "Are you ready, Bel-la?"

"I'm ready," she said, though feeling as though her voice now held a different person. Tossing the lone glove to Heidi, she met Augustin in the centre, upon which they turned their backs to one another.

"Ten steps, oui?" he said, and began to call out. "Un...deux...trois..."

With every number he spoke, she stepped farther away from him, her eyes straight ahead, her petite hands trembling.

"...sept...huit...neuf...dix!"

They rounded on each other, both hunched forward prepared in the attack stance. Like a light switch, Bella could feel the demon awaken within her. But she had fought so hard against letting go of control, even now, she resisted the urge to let loose the beast completely.

Augustin winked, and attacked.

His impact hit her full on, and the crowd was forced to make way as Bella and Augustin collided with the back wall. The French vampires screamed in fiery bloodlust, as Demetri and Heidi watched anxiously from the sidelines.

Bella rose up her elbow in a fierce blow to Augustin's head which sent him reeling backward. His hand gingerly touched the spot oh his right cheek, as he looked at her surprised. "'Ow old are you, Bel-la?"

"A year," Bella replied, returning to her hunched stance, preparing for another assault.

"A newborn?!" he cried incredulously? "Ah, _**viens m'enculer!**_" With that he lunged again, his fists now ruthlessly aiming for her face and stomach. But with each oncoming blow, Bella was able to maneuver away, avoiding contact.

She was beginning to feel confident of the outcome until his left knee rose up, jarring her hip, throwing her off balance. She limped a moment, backing farther and farther away, trying to collect herself again.

Augustin, however, smiled at her and flexed his fingers outward. "Warm-up's over," he said wickedly.

He lunged again, this time, his hand caught her throat. As he slowly began to squeeze, she imagined him decapitating her with his bare hand. Her left arm struggled, flailing about in hopes of seizing hold of some piece of flesh that would save her life. In the end it was his hair that she grabbed hold of, and as she yanked it with furious might, taking nearly a fistful with her, he cried out, letting her go, spinning her hard against the wall.

"Fille du pute!" Augustin said, combing his hands through his hair as more fell out in his hands. His scalp was bleeding, leaving streaks of crimson down his forehead. "God damn conasse! Zat is enough! No more playing around!"

He hurtled himself toward her, his arms outstretched, reaching for her throat. Bella threw herself out of the way, but he caught her left arm and pulled her against him, his iron-like fingers grasping ever closer up her chest, inching closer to her collarbone.

She was losing, and she knew it. She would die, here, this day. Seeing his hand slowly rise up to take her life, she did the first thing that came into her mind. Whether it be the demon that thought of it, or if during the primordial struggles of a fight to the death her inner animal took hold, she simply did what came naturally.

She opened her mouth, and bit him.

He screamed in agonizing horror as his blood, the blood of his most recent kills, the blood of humans, flooded her mouth. In that taste, what was Bella gave completely away. She bit two fingers clean off, and spat them out as he let her go, cradling his mangled hand against his chest.

She now squatted on the floor, her eyes tainted with blood, thirsty for more. The demon had won.

The thirst to kill now equally in his eyes, he snapped his steel-like jaws at her, and once again lunged on his prey.


	46. Perdition

**46. PERDITION**

Edward ran. His legs moved faster than the rest, and it wasn't long before he realized that he was now very much alone. He halted briefly, and the wait for them to catch up, though it be for only one minute and thirty-six seconds, proved excruciating.

Normally, they would have reduced their speed, choosing to be more cautious in a foreign land on a brightening morning. However, not even Jasper suggested they slow down, not that Edward would have heeded him if he had. For now, they felt already late, scrambling to make up time and hasten themselves to the other side of Europe.

Yet, as fast as Edward's feet were carrying him, it was nothing compared to the velocity to which his brain now flew. Would they reach Paris in time? Would he somehow be able to prevent Bella from fighting, and combat in her stead? And, perhaps most importantly, how would they even find the dreaded Vicomte du Toulon?

Edward knew it would not be as easy as looking him up in the phonebook or Googling him on his iPhone... And with no point of reference to track him, Paris would prove to be the proverbial haystack.

Banishing such disparaging thoughts from his mind, he instead focused on what he could accomplish: reaching their car back in the National Park, and getting the hell on a plane.

Like meteors out of the sky, they reached their car; Edward already pulling open the driver's side door, about to climb in. Jacob and the others emerged out of the bushes now fully clothed, and rummaged for their phony passports from a small knapsack. "Alice," Edward called, an anxious note in his voice, "have you seen anything yet?"

Alice shook her head, no, looking somewhat discomfited. For two hours while they ran she had struggled to bring forth a vision, only to spend the remainder of the journey hiding the vision she _**had**_ seen. It was not good news. Yet, as long as she didn't concentrate on it, Edward wouldn't see.

Jasper, however, so in tune with Alice's feelings, looked suspiciously at her, but said nothing. It was Alice's secret, and if she had cause enough to lie, Jasper knew it would only be for a good reason.

"Keep trying, will you?" Edward asked, visibly disappointed. As they all gathered around the car, a problem, which none of them had previously considered, sharply arose. There were seven of them, and their car would only seat five.

Alice was the first to break the head-scratching dilemma. "I call the trunk," she said, skipping over to it.

"Hell no! "Jasper immediately replied. "If anyone's riding in the trunk, it'll be me!"

"You're too big!" Alice countered.

"I vill ride in trunk," Tatiana considerately offered, receiving a panicked look from Jacob, only to likewise be rebuffed by Alice.

"You could suffocate! No! It makes sense. Edward and Jasper in the front, you four in the back, and me in the trunk."

Yet, trying to squeeze four werewolves in the back of a sedan proved even more difficult than anticipated. Edward shook his head. "There's no way Tatiana will fit, Jacob, not even on your lap. You two take the front, one of us will have to sit in the back with Sacha and Vladimir."

"I will!" Alice called out, but Jasper was quick to quash her concerns. He was far from in danger of biting either of the two Russians.

"No way! You said as much that I won't fit in the trunk. Problem solved."

"But..." Alice fretted as the werewolves began to climb into the car.

"Some faith, please," Jasper whispered, running his hand from her shoulder to her dainty wrist. "I'll be fine, really. If I can't endure a twenty minute car ride, I won't be able to last a three hour flight to France..."

Alice gave way, knowing that she could not argue any longer without further insulting Jasper's sensibilities.

She climbed into the cramped trunk, and Jasper gently closed it on top of her. He chose to sit directly behind Edward, but the close proximity of Sacha proved discomforting to say the least. They simply smiled awkwardly at each other, nodded, and looked away hurriedly. Jasper could only be thankful that they had no knowledge of his less than stellar past, for then they might not be as comfortable sitting next to a vampire such as him.

Edward drove much slower and more carefully with Alice tucked away in the trunk. Several times his foot instinctively pressed down upon the gas in the sole attempt to get to the airport as fast as possible. The love for his sister proved strongest, however, and he slowed down. A sharp turn at a high speed, and he suspected she would shoot through the trunk like a bullet out of a gun.

The airport reached, they split up. Alice and Jasper returned the keys for the car as Edward and the others hunted for the next flight to Paris. They stared at the giant monitor of all outgoing flights, each of their brows furrowed.

"That doesn't make sense..." Edward said, feeling as though his eyes were playing tricks on him. Every single flight to Paris was marked 'Delayed' in red. All other flights appeared 'On-Time'.

"Like hell it doesn't," Jacob said, his face clouding over with anger. "Someone's pulled a string."

"What are you talking about?" Edward demanded.

Jacob's experience with the enemy suddenly put him in a very interesting situation. He now understood why the Brethren would want him dead so badly. He simply knew too many of their dirty little secrets... "A phone call's all it takes, Edward. They know where we are, right? Just like you knew where to find me. They also know where we want to go. If this is purely a coincidence, then I'm a Russian ballet dancer!"

Tatiana could not help but snicker at the mental image of Jacob prancing across a stage in tights. "No, Yacoob..." she said, shaking her head as Sacha and Vladimir likewise exchanged bemused looks. "You no dance ballet..."

"That's what I'm saying, Baby," Jacob said, slightly mortified for how his analogy came out. "These flights are delayed deliberately. They want to slow us down."

Edward felt as though he was going to explode. Was he to have _**no**_ luck after everything? If deterred in this, what next? Bella had said that he could not save her. Who, he wondered, had made this call, if indeed it had come from the Volturi? If there was blame to be given, he desperately wanted to point his finger at Aro and Caius. But deep down, he knew. This breathed of Bella. He trying to save her... She trying to save him... To what end? Were they both to lose?

Alice and Jasper ran up to them, already in tune with the events. "Delayed, we know," Alice said when Jacob was about to fill them in on the goings on. "Don't worry, Edward. If we rush, we can catch the Lufthansa flight. It will leave first."

Opening his eyes, he turned to her. "How soon?"

"Twenty minutes, max."

Not requiring any more encouragement, they bolted off to the ticket counter, Edward treating everyone to as he handed over his MasterCard. There were not enough seats in first class, only two. The rest of the party were forced to fly coach, and sit apart. While rushing to the gate, Edward grasped Alice's hand. "I need you to sit with me, Alice. Anything you see, I need to know right away. Okay?"

Alice nodded her head, but even while she ran, her steadfastness slipped. The image once again flashed in her mind's eye. Edward skidded to a halt, his hand not letting go of hers, and he pulled her back to him, his face in shock. "If you know something, you need to tell me!"

She stared up at him. _You don't want to know, Edward. It's not good news..._

Instinctively, he felt she was probably right, but he wanted it all the same. "Show me. Please, Alice," he begged. "I've got to know..."

_**Demetri, sank his teeth into something small and helpless in his powerful arms. Looking up, he saw the sad, frightened face of Bella.**_

Edward turned away, struggling to control his unnecessarily fast breathing. "How soon?" he asked gruffly, not entirely sure if he wanted to hear the truth. "How soon till this happens?"

Glancing at Jasper, Alice spoke honestly. "About forty-five minutes ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?!" he yelled, startling the tourists around them. Jasper placed a firm hand on his shoulder, straining to calm him down.

"I didn't see Bella fighting!" Alice cried. "I don't think it's happened yet!" But even as she spoke, desperate for Edward to not freak out, she never felt more like falling apart, herself.

"And, what if she _**had**_ seen it, Edward?" Jasper reasoned, not letting go, despite Edward giving his shoulder a sharp wrench to break free. "We couldn't have moved any faster. All we can do now is get to Paris. Who knows? We may still arrive in time."

"What's this?" Jacob asked, looking from one to the other, his passport in hand. "What's going on? C'mon! We got a plane to catch!"

Edward, his face pained with all the suffering of not knowing if Bella was at this moment alive or dead, turned to Jacob. There were no words to describe his despair, his unyielding dread.

"What?!" Jacob asked again when none answered him. "What the hell is going on?!"

"We're too late," Alice said softly. "She's already there."

Jacob looked from Alice's crestfallen face, to that of Edward. "So?"

"_**So?!**_" Edward repeated incredulously.

"Yeah," Jacob replied, now louder, "So, what are we doing just standing around? Do you want to go to Paris or not?!"

The answer to such a question, for Edward at least, was not as easy as it seemed. He most definitely wanted to go to Paris if it meant he'd be with Bella again. He did not, if it meant she was dead. By going, Edward knew he would have to face the facts. If the Vicomte succeeded, there would be nothing left of Bella that he would recognize. He did not want to imagine her body being destroyed and burned...

"_**HELLO?!**_" Jacob said, waving his hand in front of Edward's tortured face. "Earth to Edward! Look, if you're _**not**_ going, I'll be seeing ya, alright? We've really got to be getting somewhere."

"Don't you get it?" Edward spat, at last breaking free of Jasper's grasp. "She's there! Right now! She may _**die**_!"

"Yeah, I get it!" Jacob shot back. "We knew that was a possibility! So, let's go, already, and see if we can do something about it!"

"Yacoob," Tatiana whispered privately, though not quiet enough for keen vampire ears, "it too late." She wrapped her arms around Jacob's massive left one, interlacing her fingers with his. "He know he cannot save her now..."

Edward had heard her words as clearly as if she had screamed them at him. They were kindly meant and filled with pity, yet that didn't make them any less true. He turned away, wondering if Hell was nothing more than a state of mind. It needn't be a lake of fire, or a bottomless pit of darkness. He would have an eternity of pain and suffering just as easily on earth...

Just as Alice had predicted, they heard the boarding call over the intercom, and a great moan resounded as all the other passengers gratefully stood up, stretching, anxious to get on their way. Without a word or a look to his motley family, Edward joined the queue.

He boarded the plane, took his seat beside the window in first class, and buried his face in his hands. In the darkness of his mind's eye, he only saw Bella. Alive and human, smiling in the sun...sleeping in bed, clinging to him...the look on her beauteous face as they made love... It struck him as strange how he had _**ever**_ desired to leave her. It was long ago, feeling more like another _**life**_, than a part of this one, but the memories were there. After having tasted how truly blissful life can be with her, he would never willingly choose to give her up. Unless, such as now, he may be forced to...

"Aaaah!" a male voice exhaled beside him, sounding distinctly un-Alice-like. Opening his eyes, Edward turned to see Jacob who sat smiling, examining all the gadgets that first class had to offer. "This is nice! Much better than the trip to Italy! Not as nice as the Volturi private jet, I'll have you know, but not bad!"

Edward stared at him, his hands still cradled closely to his face. He thought he had made it clear he wished Alice to sit with him...

Squinting his eyes as though trying to decipher something, Jacob said, "If you're done playing hide and go seek, maybe we could talk."

On a good day, Edward may have found Jacob's attempt at sarcasm slightly amusing. But, grieved as he was, he found it far from funny. "Where's Alice? I thought she was going to sit with me."

"Aw, how about you leave the poor girl alone for awhile," Jacob countered as the plane door shut in front of them. "Knowing you and you're weird-ass mind-reading capabilities, you'll know if she sees anything. Besides, I thought we could talk..."

"About what?" Edward asked suspiciously. Being stuck on a plane sitting beside Jacob Black suddenly seemed the least desirable thing he wanted to do.

Jacob, however, merely shrugged his shoulders. "I dunno. Maybe you could fill me in...on what I missed."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Edward grumbled, not in the least mood to make small talk with the likes of Jacob Black when he would much rather be wallowing in his own misery, making himself a sick, nervous wreak.

"C'mon. Play along, Edward. It's a three hour flight, and I doubt you'll be interested in the on-flight movie. Humour me, will you? Is...Bella mad at me?"

"Mad at you?" Edward repeated incredulously. "Why would she be mad at you? For what? Hanging up on her?"

"I didn't hang up on her!"

"Yeah, you did," Edward said, unaware of how the bickering was relaxing him. The plane glided out to the runway, and still they bantered back and forth like school children bickering over who owned which marble.

Jacob shook his head, glad that his plan had worked. At least Edward was now talking. "Gianna always was a nosey cow. I'll bet you fifty bucks she disconnected the phone. No, I meant, was Bella mad that I stayed in Volterra?"

The engines roared, and like a fiery phoenix soaring into the air, they took off. Edward shrugged his shoulder. "Worried more than anything. She really blamed herself for you being there. On account of you going to Italy to try and rescue her..."

It was now Jacob's turn to shrug his shoulders. "I thought you would be there for sure. You can't imagine my luck when you weren't. Well...until you _**did**_ show up, that is..."

Edward thought back to that day, all those months ago. So much good had happened since then, and yet they seemed to be far worse off. He couldn't help but wonder if things would be different if he had come for her earlier. Would Aro have taken him under his wing? Would he and Bella now be married? Would he have been able to save her from all of this? As always, there seemed to be no answers to his questions. What is past, is past. It could not be changed any more than he could stop being a vampire.

"Ya know," Jacob said turning to him, "I don't know how you don't drive Bella crazy! You really are the brooding type, aren't you? Nothing but doom and gloom..."

But Edward was not in the mood for his witticism, even if it was meant to lighten his spirits. "Pardon me if I've lived a lot longer than you, and know how ruthless life can be. I wouldn't necessarily expect you to understand that. There is one thing that gives me joy in this world, and that is Bella. Without her, I am but a hollow shell of what I could be. We are not blessed with the reassuring thoughts of an afterlife if everything goes to Hell. To someone like me, an...immortal," he said, whispering the word, "...the big picture is all that I think about. I can't just shake my head and say, 'Well, if worse comes to worst, I'll just kill myself and see her later.' No. With her I am most assuredly in Heaven. Without her..." His voice cracked, and he turned away, hiding his weakness and insecurities from Jacob's mockery.

But, Jacob never felt like ridiculing him less. Whatever he had once wished for Bella, he couldn't deny that they loved each other. He bit his lip, and elbowed Edward sharply in his side. "You worry too much. Bella looks like a wimp, but she's pretty tough! Tougher than we give her credit for, I think. Best not to think the sky is falling..."

Edward nodded his head. They sporadically spoke during the remainder of the flight, but both seemed lost in the tumultuous pondering's of their minds.

It wasn't until the plane skidded on French soil at the Charles de Gaulle airport that Jacob turned to him, daring to breech the Bella subject again. "Has Alice had any sign? I mean, can't she...jump-start a vision, or something?"

But Edward merely shook his head. He had heard every fretting thought in her head the entire flight as she clung to her seat as if holding on for dear life. Yet, try as she might, no vision would materialize. "It's not an exact science," Edward said in her defense, though he had felt Jacob's frustration many a time before. "She can't _**will**_ a vision to come... They appear when they appear..." Even to him it sounded like an excuse, but it was the truth. He needed to hear it as well. It wasn't Alice's fault. Besides, even if they _**did**_ know how Bella was doing, there wasn't anything they could do about it. Was there?

They cleared Customs, and stood in the meeting area, the glass doors to the taxi stand not five yards away. Returning travelers embracing loved ones swirled around the desperate group of vampires and werewolves now huddled in a circle, unsure of what to do or say.

Edward rushed outside and after approaching each taxi driver, came back inside, defeated. The sensitive ears of both camps had all picked up the words 'Vicomte du Toulon' and each following negative response.

Tatiana's tender eyes glanced from Edward's melancholy face to Jacob's, whose features looked equally conquered. In a quiet voice, she whispered, "Do vee not go to her?"

"It's not that simple," Jacob replied, wrapping his arm around her. "We have no idea of where he even lives..."

"What about the Volturi?" Alice piped up. "Jacob, could you..."

But both he and Edward emphatically shook their heads. The former replying, "They'll wonder how I know about her mission... Not that I have any connections there anymore. They wouldn't willingly give me information that could disrupt their plans... Not to mention, they sent Edward to kill me."

"Jacob's right," Edward muttered. "They wouldn't voluntarily help us."

And so there they stood bouncing ideas back and forth. In the end, each one was quashed, due to lack of time, resources, or more logistical reasons. They had even tried calling Demetri and Bella to beg for more details, only to discover their phones switched off. It was as Edward had feared; Bella was in a place he had no knowledge of, ensconced in a foreign land.

They were defeated without even being able to put up a fight, and every second agonized burned Edward right to his fingertips. And, all this time, he and Alice had been turning to the four corners of Paris - searching, listening, probing the city for any little clue.

Vladimir, his brow furrowed much like all the others, looked at Edward. "So...vot vee do? If vee no help, vhere vee go?"

This was the decision that Edward had been dreading since Bella's call. Were they to give up all hope of reaching her? To do so felt nothing short of abandoning her to her death, which brought forth a fresh wave of guilt. What if they were to give up and she were to die? Could Edward ever forgive himself? Indeed, would he live long enough to try?

He gave a short, cynical laugh at that thought, not the least of which Alice found remotely funny.

No matter how he argued with himself, he knew that they had reached a dead end. And so, in a futile attempt to recapture the power stripped away from him, he launched into Plan B: his worst-case scenario. If (God forbid) Bella were killed, every last ounce of strength in him would seek out the Vicomte, no matter how long it took him, and he would make this murder a painful one. This deed may lead nowhere but the road to Perdition, but without Bella, he didn't care. Afterward, he would find a way to end his life (without including the Volturi) in hopes of someway, somehow, finding her in the dark unknown that was their afterlife. There simply couldn't be 'nothing'... One way or another, regardless of obstacles or hellish Furies, he would find her again. In life...or, if absolute need be, in death.

Feeling like an utter failure, Edward succumbed to the grave reality of the situation. "We go to the Eiffel Tower. If she's alive, she'll meet us there."

"It'll be alright, Edward," Alice said steadfastly, though as she had not yet seen any vision confirming that thought, Edward found it difficult to heed her words. Vague prophesies, if proven wrong, would hurt all the more to if he got his hopes up. For now, he felt dead inside, turning off all emotion that would only weaken him for what was to come. The massacre he hungered for in revenge.

They chose to take two taxis as opposed to renting cars, as it was unknown how long they were to stay in Paris. The sky looked like it could pour down rain at any moment, but for now, it seemed to be holding off.

In a daze that could only be thought of as a struggle to hold onto his sanity, Edward stared out the window, his eyes unseeing the spectacular architecture, historic monuments, and _joie de vivre_ that Paris emanated. The closer they came to discovering Bella's fate, the more detached Edward became. He couldn't contemplate her demise and not completely fall apart. Not yet, anyway...

He saw it. France's national treasure eclipsed the sky like a beacon of hope, freedom, and love. Yet, to Edward, it seemed nothing short of a mockery. He turned his head away. _Too soon. Too soon..._ They were so close, and soon they would know for certain...

The taxis arrived and pulled up to the curb. A wide paved area lay before the symbolic structure of love and romance as lovers gathered around, having their pictures taken.

Edward tossed a hundred Euros at the cabbie, gesturing casually that he did not require change. Werewolves and vampires once again converged together. Strangely, their eyes glanced everywhere, yet at nothing a tourist would think much of. They saw only people. "Shtaw anaa pa khaw deets?" Sacha inquired, his eyes straining through the crowd.

Those not knowing Russian, turned to Tatiana. "He want know, vot she look like?"

Edward felt his pockets, but realized without having to search them, he did not have a photo of her; that thought made him want to weep. Perhaps it was the knowledge that if she did not come to him that day, he would not even be able to stare at a photo of her to appease his grief...

In a stroke of genius, Alice dove into her small knapsack and withdrew her camera. They all crowded close together, their head's nearly touching. Edward and Jasper strained in to see too, despite knowing full well what Bella looked like. On the small view finder, there was Edward, clad in an ugly pale grey tuxedo, looking as awkward and uncomfortable as ever. It had been their last happy day, before the storm had come, dashing all their hopes aside.

Jacob sniggered, and the mood seemed to lighten. It was as though they could no longer stand the anguish of the situation, and needed a laugh. Onward Alice clicked through the photos, some of Edward, others of Emmett, until at last, there was the desired photo of her and Bella smiling into the camera, both radiant and completely unaware of the troubled times just minutes away. That moment in time held nothing but mirth for the endless future, like a quiet sea, seemingly calm and not fraught with such perils as dark Volturi deeds.

Vladimir nodded his head, giving Edward his approval for his choice. "I no like vampire," he said in his broken English, 'but, she good."

"Thanks," Edward replied, his half-cocked grin on his face. "I've always thought so."

With his hand extended at chest level, Vladimir asked, "How much big?"

Edward, placing his hand on Vladimir's, lowered the height a little and said, "This big."

"Not so very big," Vlad shot back with a laugh.

Alice pocketed her camera, and now everyone, Bella's image clearly imprinted onto their minds, glanced about at the hundreds of people, and searched for that one sweet face.

There they stood at the base of la Tour Eiffel when a musician with a concertina approached, a cup held fast by a string around his neck.

Edward never heard the music. He did not even turn as the man stood beside him, masterfully swaying his arms to and fro as he played the small accordion. It was not until a particular sequence of notes was reached that Edward mentally knew what was to come next. _Clair de Lune..._ And hearing the soothing melody nearly brought him to the point of surrendering all hope. It never ceased to amaze him how a simple piece of music could hold such power as to bring someone unyielding joy, or utter desolation... Not wanting to fall to pieces now, he shoved his hand in his pocket pulling out fifty Euros, and thrust it ruthlessly into the man's cup.

The musician, however, far from perceiving himself to be a nuisance after receiving so handsome a gift, merely bowed and smiled, and continued to play his droll melody. "Une demande? Queest-ce que je peux jouer pour vous?"

"Nothing," Edward said, waving his hand at him. "Go away." Then, recalling where he was, he said the same in French. "Va-t'en."

"Non, monsieur! 'Oo are you waiting for? Your lady love, n'est pas? Perhaps a song d'amour? _Verlaine_, ici."

He began playing a tune that breathed of French nights in smoke-filled concert halls; strolling on cobbled streets under lamplight along the Champs Elysés; moonlight glistening off the River Sienne as lovers kiss neath its beguiling glow...

Yet, Edward was not to be swept away. The song was immediately banished from his thoughts for in his mind, he was sifting through the hundreds of voices around him for something familiar.

And then, out of the chaotic cacophony of voices came a word he very much knew:_** Bella**_. His head whipped around, and instinctively, as he had practiced over the years, he began the process of elimination, quickly discarding foreign tongues, and then likewise with English-speaking tourists. Through the deafening roar of thoughts and words reverberating in his head, it slowly grew quieter, and he masterfully now only heard such voices that could be possibilities.

But, had the name been a mistake? Was there, in the sea of faces and voices, another girl with that name? Yet, as his mind and eyes searched the ocean of people coming and going, he heard it again. _...Bella is much..._

And as quickly as it appeared, it again vanished, as though toying with his very heart, much like a cat tugging on a string.

Suddenly, Alice gasped, and like a lion pouncing, Edward focussed on her mind, seeing what she saw. In the vision, he grew only more desperate for Bella. His head turned to his right, and there, just as in the clear vision not two moments before, sat a red truck, its lights blinking as it stopped traffic, forcing honking cars to move around it. Without certainty but with assuredness of heart, he began to run.

Forced to move at human speed, he nevertheless whipped past the meandering tourists, their eyes cast upward at France's national monument d'amour. Edward's eyes, however, searched for something much more desirable.

And then, he skidded to a halt, for there she stood, Demetri and Heidi at her side. Bella.


	47. A Long Way Home

**47. A LONG WAY HOME**

She smiled, and like two magnets pulling toward each other, they ran to their other half, only stopping when at last they were one.

Despite the strength of their grasp and ferociousness of their desire, it felt as though they could not get close enough. Their arms locking round each other, eyes closed to the world around them, all other things slowly faded away, and they were no longer in Paris. The crowds disappeared, and the noise and bustle of the city died away into complete silence. All they heard was their steady breathing, and soft, subtle moans as they revelled in the thought that despite all encumbrances and ill-favoured fortune, they had at last found one another.

When their arms seemed to have had their fill, their eyes opened, and their appetent lips searched the other's out in fervent need. There are many kinds of kisses, just as there are many kinds of love. For two people who have believed their affinity might be lost forever, a single kiss is an astounding thing. No kiss can move mountains, or break down walls. But to the on-lookers in the street seeing Edward and Bella's love so purely expressed, none could help but be moved. This truly was the city of love.

"I thought I had lost you forever," Edward whispered into her neck while taking in her scent at the same time, letting its familiar solacing fragrance appease his battered soul.

"Never," Bella replied, burying her face in his chest. Was it too much, she wondered, to dare dream that she would spend her eternity there, wrapped in his arms, forever? "No matter what, I had to come back to you."

At that, Edward only squeezed her tighter. They would never be separated again. Regardless of reason or cause, where one went, the other would follow. Honesty truly was the best course. Never again would reluctance of elucidation be the cause of their parting.

Vampires can stand a long time without moving an iron-like muscle, and so it was with Bella and Edward. When the gang at last approached them, Bella was unsure how much time had truly passed. "Edward?" Alice called, snapping the pair from their reverent reverie. "Bella?" Alice said when her sister opened her eyes, and they at last embraced.

It would have pained Edward to admit it, but his arms did not let go of Bella willingly. And in the end, he managed to keep his hand on the small of her back. Simply touching her would have to be enough.

But Alice who was smiling openly and now feeling thoroughly carefree, grasped her tightly to her. "We're so glad you're safe!"

"I had Demetri and Heidi with me," Bella replied, only to be surprised not to see them in the group. Jacob was there, with three that she did not know, but no sign of those who had helped her survive her greatest battle yet. "Say, where are they?"

It was now Jasper's turn to hug Bella. "They caught an early flight. Said there was something they had to do..."

Bella nodded her head, understanding. Demetri, penitent and ashamed of his actions, had not expected the possibility of making his deeds right with his new family. In his opinion, he could not be forgiven. Yet, all the same, he felt it necessary to speak to Carlisle and tell the truth. He could not hope for forgiveness. In all honesty, he dreaded Edward's wrath above all others for he knew it would be just. Whatever was to come, he would gladly take, for it was deserved. As for Bella, she wondered if she would ever see him or Heidi again.

"Hey Bells," Jacob said, a coy grin upon his face as his arm wrapped itself around Tatiana. "Got no hug for an old friend?"

Bella smiled, "Yes..." she said, and pulled Jacob close in a tight embrace. "But I shouldn't," she added, though her arms did not let go until after several moments. "I have a bone to pick with you..."

Appearing taken aback and innocent of all claims of injustice, Tatiana then nudged him in the ribs, and understanding dawned on his face. "Oh. That. I guess you've heard."

"Yeah, I had to hear about it from _**Jane**_, of all people!" Bella replied. Her eyes, bearing the tiniest hint of scarlet, flashed dangerously at him. "Telling tales, Jacob? Or, do you know something I don't?"

Jacob's face flushed more crimson than Bella's eyes, never appearing more bashful. He smiled awkwardly, and hunched his shoulders in a manner than can only be described as culpable. "You know what Felix is like... The leech," he caught himself, "present company excluded of course, is relentless! I had to say something to shut him up!" He caught sight of Tatiana's unforgiving glare, and once again turned to Bella's likewise wrathful glower. "But it was wrong, _**wrong, WRONG **_of me! So wrong! And, I'm paying for it. Believe me!"

Tatiana nodded her head sharply once, and then turned to Bella. Their eyes met, and Bella could not help but smile. "You haven't yet introduced us," was her reply to Jacob. She would forgive him, as was in her nature, but would make him work for it. There now seemed a lifetime to fill. Playfully torturing Jacob was now a happy thought not worth considering but a few hours before.

Introductions were given, and hands shaken. The group stood there conversing on times passed. They did not seem to heed the daylight dimming around them, slowly fading to a cloudy night. The white lights of the Eiffel Tower burst into life, bringing the conversation to a close.

Bella turned to Edward, who stood close to her, holding her hand. "Time to go," he said with a shrug of his shoulder.

Alice turned to Edward, confused. "You're not coming home," she said, surprised. It was not a question, for she could not see him on the flight. The fact that she saw her own future brought about another thought. "And you," she said, turning to the werewolves, "you're not coming either."

This surprised Bella. "You're not going back to Forks?"

Turning to Tatiana, Jacob smiled. "Not yet. Europe has...grown on me. Maybe in a few months. Need to work on getting these guys some visas..." he said, smiling. "It'll be easier once we're married."

More hugs ensued, and offers of 'Congratulations', until the subject arose of Bella and Edward's plans.

"I need to see Charlie," Bella replied. "He knows now, what I am. There's no point in hiding from him anymore."

"Can you do me a favour, Bells?" Jacob asked. "Look in on my dad for me. Tell him..." Jacob smiled. "Everything. Tell him everything."

Nodding her head, Bella replied. "I will."

Without a word, Edward extended his hand to Jacob. This was now the third time he offered it to the wolf, and this time, Jacob gratefully took it. They had at last reached an understanding, and could part ways not enemies, but friends.

Jacob pulled Bella back into another bear-hug as Jasper and Alice flagged down two taxis. "Take care, Bells. I'll always love you, you know that? I hope you'll be very happy."

"Thanks Jacob," she said, her voice cracking. "I'll always love you too."

He patted her on her back, and turned away, not wanting her to see the tears in his eyes. "Thank you for saving my life," he said gruffly, quickly wiping his eyes with the back of his sleeve.

Bella was at a loss for words. She didn't want to leave. This wasn't how she wanted it to end. She didn't want goodbyes or time apart from those that she loved. But for now, that's what would have to be. Edward took her hand, leading her to the taxi. From the window, she waved farewell as the taxi pulled away, and she could see them no more.

It was at the airport that each couple went separate ways. Alice and Jasper were to fly to London, Los Angeles, and then onward to Portland, Oregon. Edward and Bella, however, were to fly to New York, and then west to Seattle.

The flights would be long, but with the consoling thought that so long as they were together, it couldn't matter less if they had to circle the globe. It wasn't until Edward and Bella attempted to buy the tickets that their luck, which had favoured them for so long, finally abandoned them.

"I am zorree," the pretty French airline attendant said, actually appearing apologetic. "In First Class, zair are two seats available, but not togezeur."

Utterly crestfallen, Bella and Edward exchanged looks. "What about the next flight?" he asked, his brow furrowed. He hadn't come all this way only to be separated from Bella again, a few aisles away or not!

But, the attendant again shook her head. "Only one seat available. No more for two...non, pardonez moi...sree days... If you like, I could put you on stand-by, but you would 'ave to wait at zee airport."

His crooked grin now in place, Edward turned back to Bella, "Want to hang around Paris for a few days? Catch the sights?"

But Bella was steadfast. With all that she had been forced to endure over the past few days, there was one place she wanted to be, and it was not Paris. "I want to go home," she said matter-of-factly. "I know we won't be able to sit together, but..." she sighed, and rubbed her temple. She wasn't tired. Indeed, as a vampire, she was never bothered by the feeling of exhaustion. Yet all the same, she was dead sick of traveling, and just wanted to go home.

For Edward, the decision suddenly became an easy one. It was not ideal, but it would do. "Today's flight then, please," he said to the attendant, handing over his MasterCard.

Less than an hour to clear the vigorous security checks, they hurried on their way, only to at last rest at the gate. No words were spoken as they cuddled as best they could on the uncomfortable chairs. It was not as though they did not have anything to say. Indeed, there was a great deal Bella knew she would have to tell Edward before long. In particular, certain information about Demetri. But for now, she seemed appeased to merely enjoy the comforting sensation of being cradled in his powerful arms.

Edward did not think that sitting apart would be as painful as it proved to be. They walked onto the plane together; Bella's seat being a second row window seat, while Edward sat four rows behind on the other side of the plane. Stretching up, he could barely see her elbow. It would be a long flight...

Bella, however, sat down, buckled her seatbelt and sighed. To an immortal, this time and place would hardly seem an eternity, but to an impatient lover who risked life and limb to be with her beloved, it seemed nothing short of an injustice.

That is, until the woman who would be sitting beside to her for the next eight hours arrived. Then, the situation became torturesome.

"Hey there, Honey!" the large woman in her forties said in her thick southern drawl. "Are you to be my neighbour?"

Bella smiled weakly at the woman in her purple, flowered dress as she struggled to put her enormous bag into the overhead compartment. A flight attendant rushed to help, and between the two of them, the job was accomplished. At last the lady sat down, and with her came the intense scent of Chanel No. 12 perfume. Bella was heartily glad that she did not need to breathe, but still, it seemed, the dizzying fragrance infiltrated her nose, burning her throat.

"My name's Eugina, but everyone calls me Gertie. What's your name?" she asked, holding out her hand.

Bella stared at it. For a fleeting moment, she still wished she had Heidi's gloves, though one (sadly, the one she would now need) still lay at the Palais de Chaville. Knowing there was nothing for it, she gently grasped hands with the woman, who predictably exclaimed, "My Lord, Honey! You're colder than an ice cube!"

"Sorry," Bella replied, quickly withdrawing her hand. "The air-conditioning..."

Gertie paused a moment, contemplating Bella's words, only to contort her face into a tight pinch a moment later. "I know exactly what you mean. Airplanes are always so cold!" It did not cross Gertie's mind that the air conditioning had yet to be turned on, as her mind was still full of her vacation, and not of the general comments of her new neighbour with whom she could chat. "What's your name again, Honey? I don't think I caught it."

"Bella."

Suddenly, Gertie was in rapture. "Ya know, I've always loved the name Isabella! I had a great aunt named Isabella. Born in Meridian, Mississippi. She..." Suddenly Gertie began to laugh uncontrollably, as though remembering a good joke. She gave a loud snort, only to abashedly cover her mouth with her hand, and continue on. "She...she was a spitfire if ever you saw one! She was a crack shot, too! Why, I was only four when I was staying there, and I recall the day..."

And so on it went as they taxied out onto the runway...waited in queue for their turn to take off...leapt into the air as the plane thrust forward...and for another twenty minutes she prattled on, barely stopping for breath; her fits of laughter now reaching a grand total of seven.

Gertie barely stopped for breath. She merrily chatted on, oblivious to Bella's suffering, saying: "And so you can imagine her surprise when my great uncle Tom showed up and..."

"I beg your pardon," a velvety voice said beside Gertie. Bella didn't need to turn her head. She'd know that voice anywhere. Instinctively, she smiled, and then turned. There stood Edward, ignoring Bella completely, his alluring smile beaming down upon Gertie. He face came closer still as his breath washed over her face. "I'm sorry to interrupt. I see you've met my fiancée, Bella."

Gertie sat dazed for nearly thirty seconds before she realized she was to respond. She had never seen a more gorgeous young man in her life. Despite him being young enough to be her son, her mind could not help but imagine ten minutes alone with him in an attempt to join the mile high club.

She shook her head, attempting to break free of the fog which had taken hold of her brain. But still, looking at him, she was utterly dazed by his magnificence. "Fiancée?" she said weekly.

"That's right," he said, smiling. It seemed long ago since he had used his charms to get what he wanted. "You see, we have a problem. I've not seen her in nearly a week, and we couldn't get our seats together. I'm sitting but four rows away. Would you mind," he said, leaning in, pouring all his charms out on her, "terribly, if you and I were to switch seats?"

Gertie did not suppose she had seen anything of his like in her forty-two years. If he had asked her for her diamond necklace hidden down her underpants she would've given it to him. "Don't mind at all," she managed with a stupefied smile.

He gently grasped her elbow, careful not to touch her bare skin, and helped her out of her seat. She walked away in a dream-like haze, content in her own fantasy.

Edward sat down triumphantly in his new seat beside Bella, his saucy grin on his face. "Hey there. Miss me?"

"Of course," Bella replied, not being able to help but smile. "I guess I can't tell you off _**this**_ time for dazzling someone..."

Carelessly shrugging his left shoulder, Edward replied, "She's not complaining. Besides, I heard her thoughts. She was going to spend the entire flight telling you her family history back to the Revolution."

"No?" Bella said in disbelief.

"Oh, yes..." he replied gravely, nodding his head. "So, you see, I did end up saving you after all."

"Can't help yourself, can you?" she said, wrapping her arms around his left one, and leaning her head on his shoulder.

"No. Never can."

They stayed that way a long time; Bella leaning against him with her eyes closed, as if sleeping, Edward gently stroking her long hair. It wasn't as though he didn't have a thousand and one questions he was bursting to ask her. He sensed she didn't want conversation. This moment was yet another example of him wishing he could read her mind, but like so many times before, she became agonizingly withdrawn. The reason, he could only suppose, was that she had a lot of sorting out to do.

When he could stand it no longer and they were well past the half way mark, he at last broke the comfortable silence between them. "If you'd rather not talk, I'll understand. I just wondered...after all...did you complete your mission?"

Bella did not move. Her eyes remained closed, and in the time that followed, he wondered if by some unknown miracle, she really _**had**_ fallen asleep. But after several seconds, her answer came. "Yes."

Her slow and reluctant response did not go unnoticed. "And...how did you..."

But there, Bella interrupted him. She still lay beside him, unmoved, but her response was clear and concise. "Not now, Edward. I know you have questions. I promise to answer all of them. There's a lot I need to tell you, and not all of it you're going to like. But I can't tell you everything here. Not now. Later. Alright?"

"Certainly," he replied immediately. He leaned his head back, and his right hand returned to stroking her head. While he seemed perfectly at ease, his mind ran rampant with endless speculation. She had won, but how? What was she so unwilling to tell? What had happened that would make her so reluctant to confide in him? Was it their location? Being on a plane? Did she somehow fear his reprobation? He would never do that. He knew what it took to kill another vampire... If not that, then what?

On and on his thoughts danced about in his head, becoming more wild and preposterous the further time passed.

When the annoucement was made that they would be landing in New York in twenty minutes, Bella lifted her head up, and could not help but laugh at the look upon Edward's face. His perfect appearance was contorted into that of a scowl. She knew it had taken every ounce of his strength to swallow his questions, leaving him with nothing but a bitter taste in his mouth, and an empty stomach.

"What?" he asked, his face still grimaced.

Smiling, Bella reached out, caressing his alabaster brow as though smoothing out creases on a linin sheet. "You were wondering what I have to tell you the entire flight, weren't you?"

Edward allowed his face to soften under her warm touch, and let his fretterings fall away. "Well, when you say something as infuriatingly cryptic like: 'I've got something to tell you, and you're not going to like it, but I'm not going to tell you right now,' of _**course**_ I'm going to obsess!"

"I'm sorry," Bella replied, as the plane began to make its decent. "There are reasons. I'll tell you soon."

Edward nodded. He didn't want to seem unreasonably impatient. And yet, he was finding it extreemly difficult not to admit that he was. "How soon?"

"At Charlie's."

Again, Edward nodded, and then looked at her skeptically. "In front of Charlie?"

"Hell no! He may know what we are, but he doesn't need to know _**that**_!"

"Just...making sure," he replied, then thoroughly wondering what the heck _**'that'**_ was.

They were fortunate in that once they had landed in New York and cleared Customs, their wait was just minutes for their connecting flight. Their seating arrangements were much easier this time around, and they had their choice of seats as they were the only ones flying in first class.

At first, the two flight attendants had been prepared to affectionately dote on them, but as Edward and Bella quickly refused both food and beverage, they at last gave up, and instead occupied their time by gossiping.

For Edward and Bella, however, the flight was better spent in each other's arms. Edward had decided that if Bella couldn't yet share with him her stories, he could at least share his. He told her of finding Jacob, and meeting the German vampire whom the brothers ran after and killed. He spoke of their campfire, and of being described by Jacob as 'old friends'.

Bella smiled as he chattered ceaselessly, savouring every word, every story he had to share. She especially enjoyed hearing about Tatiana. She had met her briefly, but was not blind to their attachment to one another. In whole, she was heartily glad for Jacob. The most she could ever wish for someone she loved was that they were happy. She had no doubt that he would be with Tatiana.

In the hours that followed, Bella and Edward barely felt the passage of time. To the casual observer, their talk now appeared nothing short of inconsequential palaver, but to Edward and Bella, having struggled so ruthlessly against life and death, it was heaven to talk about the unimportant matters in their existence.

But, it was not until they landed in Seattle that Bella began to feel strangely about returning home. _I'm really here,_ she thought to herself, reluctant to believe it for fear of bursting the dream-like bubble. _I survived. I don't know how, but I did it. I'm home. _

Bella was forced to accept her current situation as reality when two familiar figures greeted them at the meeting area of the airport.

"Hey there, Bro," Emmett said, wrapping one bear-like arm around Edward, and the other around Bella. "'Bout time you got here."

"Welcome home," Rosalie said, giving a small smile, and an awkward hug to each of them. Even after stepping away, she appeared uncomfortable, and Edward could quickly discern the reason. It surprised him, but he hid it, so as to not embarrass her. She was actually _**glad**_ to see them! _Well, wonders never cease,_ he thought smugly to himself.

"So, Bell," Emmett said, playfully pretending to box Bella who merely stood there, refusing to play along. "Tell us! Did ya kill him?"

"Emmett!" Rosalie hissed incredulously, giving his arm a chastening smack.

This question turned several heads of the humans swarming around them, which only made an already much-flustered Bella reply, "Can we not talk about it right now, please?"

"Yeah, Bro," Edward replied, shooting his tactless brother a look that spoke, _'Are you serious?!'_

"Alright, alright," Emmett replied, turning toward the door. "But I want details in the car!"

Bella might well have appeared anxious, but taking her hand, Edward quickly shook his head in her direction, letting her know his intention to protect her from Emmett's verbal taunts.

As it was Rosalie's shiny, new red Porsche that they spirited away from the airport in, she drove. This gave Emmett the opportunity to turn around, the better to pester the gory details out of Bella. "So, did you do it?"

"Emmett..." Edward replied, casting him a glowering stare. There was a warning in it, but the meaty drippings of Bella's kill proved too tantalizing.

"Give it a rest, Edward. Just because _**you've**_ already heard everything. C'mon, Bell! Did he put up a good fight?"

In an attempt to change the subject, Edward interjected, "How'd you know we weren't flying home with Alice?"

At once, his stratagem appeared to be working, for Emmett replied, "She called from L.A.. Say, why didn't you call from New York?"

Edward smiled his crooked grin. "I'm sorry. I've been busy the last few days, and haven't been able to keep track of everybody's whereabouts. What are you two doing here, anyway?"

"Watching Charlie," Rose replied, whipping around a hairpin curve.

Bella's brow furrowed with concern. They were watching Charlie, keeping tabs on him. "Why?"

Snorting, Emmett replied, "Didn't take the news so well. He was royally pissed to show up, only to learn that you had bolted, Bella. He didn't seem to like the looks of me, so we left for Carlisle and Esme to talk him down. I tell ya! Just when you need Jasper, he's off gallivanting with you in Germany!"

"Poland," Edward corrected, his brow as furrowed as Bella's, though hers now only bore the expression of guilt. "And _**'gallivanting'**_ is hardly the appropriate word..."

"Whatever," Emmett shrugged off carelessly. "Point is, after Charlie left, Carlisle thought it best for someone to watch him, make sure he didn't do anything nuts."

"Like what?" Bella replied. What on earth did they imagine Charlie would do?

"Like contact the government," Rose replied, her face turned away from the conversation. "If word somehow got back to the Volturi, there'd be hell to pay."

There was no arguing that. The last thing they needed was to be owing the Volturi another favour.

"Did he do anything?" Edward enquired.

Emmett shook his head, no. "Moped around. Went to work. Sat in your room quite a bit, Bell. It was really boring recognisance work, let me tell you..."

Everyone's minds wandered off in their own directions. Rosalie was pondering how she looked in her new car... Emmett, what was on the dinner menu for that night. The possibility of grizzly excited him... Edward listened to the thoughts of his brother and sister, and then wondered what Bella was thinking.

Her thoughts were simple. She worried about Charlie. He had taken the news hard, but that was no great surprise to her, for any parent wouldn't choose this for their child. She couldn't reproach him that... At once she wondered if indeed she'd be welcomed home, only for her to remember her phone call to him, but yesterday.

_Was it really only yesterday?_ she wondered. It seemed an age away. Since speaking to him, more of her innocence had been stripped from her, more of the demon felt within, struggled to take hold. More so than ever before. It was a primal thing to kill another with your bare hands, to rip apart the flesh, and tear with one's teeth...

She shuddered, and wished herself far away. Edward felt it, and instinctively drew her even closer to him. He didn't know the reason for her distress, but for now, he didn't have to.

"Hey!" Emmett said, once again turning around. "Bella, you never answered my question!"

But before she could even reply, Edward, in all seriousness, said, "Not now, Emmett. Bella's been through enough. Give her time. She's never been the kind to revel in the kill..."

Bella's eyes closed, and she felt as though she were going to be sick. Her right hand searched frantically for the window button, and as the fresh air flew in, she breathed deeply, as though she had been holding her breath for a long time.

Staring at her odd behaviour with quiet worry, Emmett merely replied, "No problem," and then turned around, giving her both space and privacy.

As for Edward, he felt utterly helpless. Something was wrong, and she wouldn't speak. There were secrets that she couldn't articulate, things that she feared telling him. He leaned over to her, whispering so softly so that Emmett and Rosalie would not hear. "You would think that in all the years I have known you, not hearing your thoughts would become easier to bear. But, no. You're still as frustrating as ever."

"I'm sorry," she whispered back, still reluctant to turn around.

Immediately, Edward regretted his words. "I wasn't looking to make you feel guilty. Bella...is there anything I can do?"

"Later, Edward. You can, but...later."

"Alright." He adoringly caressed her back as they made their way through towns and villages on the long road to a town called Forks. It seemed not the least he could do, but the most, as powerless as he was to do anything that could take her distress away.

Forks, for Bella, seemed nothing short of surreal. The houses and streets all felt familiar, and yet foreign at the same time. So different from her last visit, where Edward and she stole into the house in the dead of night. Now, during daylight, Rose parked the car outside the house, and they all waited expectantly.

Bella wasn't sure what she anticipated. One vision was Charlie barging out of the house, shotgun in hand, threatening Edward to unhand his daughter. That was most definitely up there with the 'worst case scenarios'.

But that didn't happen. The curtains remained still, and the door unmoved. From the outside, it looked as though no one was home. She might have thought as much had not Charlie's police cruiser been parked in the driveway. He was, most certainly, home.

Emmett turned around again. "Changed your mind?"

"No," Bella replied, a note of fear in her voice. The prodigal daughter was home. She now knew how Edward must have felt all those years ago, returning home to Carlisle after his murder spree...

She opened the door, and in a dash that was borderline near impossible for a human, Edward was at her side. Emmett opened his window. "We're sticking around for a few days. Maybe we'll all go back together to Sweet Home? What do ya say?"

Edward turned to Bella. He would not be making any decisions here.

Bella nodded her head. "A few days. Sounds like a plan."

Emmett and Rose both smiled. "Call if you need backup," he replied, rolling up the window. The car rolled away, and Edward and Bella could prolong their visit no longer.

Hand in hand, they strode up the driveway, climbed the squeaky steps, and stood outside the door.

"Nervous?" he asked gruffly.

"Yeah," Bella replied, her hands trembling. He grasped it all the tighter.

Bella reached out and pressed the doorbell. They would be respectful and ask to come in. After all, she couldn't rightly call this _'home'_ anymore.

Suddenly, Edward gasped. "Oh my!"

"What?" Bella asked, nervous and surprised at the same time.

But almost immediately, a rush of footsteps could be heard, and then, the door swung wide open.


	48. The Olive Branch

**48. THE OLIVE BRANCH**

There stood Renée who let out a high-pitched screech, and flung her arms around Bella, practically dragging her across the threshold.

"Mom!" Bella said, surprised to feel her mom's desperate arms about her. Had she been human, she was sure she would've been struggling for breath. "I wasn't expecting to see you!" When Renée did not reply but for the rocking motion they now moved to, Bella said, "Mom?"

Renée replied with a giant sniffle. She pulled Bella back to get a glimpse of her, and the tears of relief and happiness were streaming down her face.

At once, Bella's cold, dead heart seemed to warm. She wasn't sure what greeting she had expected, but certainly not this. Renée's gut-wrenching display of motherly love hit Bella to her core. All she could whisper was a pathetic, "Mom, I'm so sorry..."

No words could her mother utter. She yanked her forward again, weeping openly. Not until she had finally collected herself did Renée pull back, the better to see her daughter's face. She studied it to an extent that would have impressed Charlie's detective skills. Sniffling and wiping her puffy eyes, she declared, "You look pale, and Honey, what's wrong with your eyes? They look positively bloodshot."

Instinctively, Bella's hand flew up, as though to hide them. "It's all the travel," she fibbed.

"Jet lag. Of course, I understand," Renée replied, quick to forgive and accept an excuse. She turned to Edward, and her face hardened. "Edward. Nice to see you again. I see where Bella goes, you continue to follow..."

Edward merely nodded his head. He could not blame them for hating him. It had not been so long ago when he hated himself for the very same reasons. "Yes, Ma'am."

Nodding gravely one last time in Edward's direction, Renée again returned to her daughter, her manner at once rebounding to its usual sunny disposition. "My, you look pretty. Pale, but pretty. You're not sick, are you?" She reached up her hand to Bella's temple, and started at its frostiness. "My God, Bella! You're freezing!"

"Mom," Bella said, taking her hands in hers, "I feel fine. Really."

Renée seemed reluctant admit defeat so easily, but perhaps it was holding the ice-cold hands of her daughter that made her reconsider. She looked down at them, so perfect in form, with only a glistening ring on her left hand for adornment, and nodded her head. "If you say so."

A gruff throat cleared, and everyone's head turned to see Charlie standing at the kitchen archway. His eyes met up with Bella's for a moment, before he strode in, suddenly very interested in the patterning of the carpet. "Edward," he said, shaking his hand, not being frightened to look him squarely in the eye.

"Sir," Edward replied politely, feeling the chill of the greeting.

Foreseeing what was about to occur, Renée let her daughter loose, and stepped aside. Charlie at first seemed hesitant, but after a few seconds, his courage grew, and in two great strides, strode up to Bella, wrapping his arms around her.

"It's, uh...it's good to see you, Bells," Charlie said to her shoulder. He didn't think he'd have been able to say it to her face. He didn't want her to see the tears. As it was, he couldn't hide the sniffle.

"It's good to see you too, Dad," she replied, her voice muffled against his chest. She could feel the warmth radiate from him, and he smelt like she had always remembered. It was as if she had found a lost part of herself.

She moved to pull away, they had never embraced so long, not since when she was a little girl. But even as she let go her grasp, he did not and still held on, as if for dear life. Bella was shocked. Not simply due to Charlie's warm embrace, but because she could perceive the gratefulness behind it. He was _**glad**_ that she was home. Was he frightened he would lose her again? That she would again vanish from his grasp, like smoke? She couldn't blame him for being suspicious. She had done nothing to warrant trust or reliance.

Wrapping her arms back up around his neck, she inched in closer, listening to the soft beatings of his human heart. For so long, it had been nearly close to breaking.

He at last pulled away, once again avoiding her gaze, while wiping his cheek with the back of his plaid sleeve. Clearing his throat again, he said, "You alright?"

"Yeah," she replied, moved simply because he was so much so. "You?"

Charlie nodded his head and looked away. "Alright."

Renée couldn't help but shake her head. Some things failed to change with time. An already awkward conversation always seemed to be made worse with Charlie and Bella's inability to put together more than two syllable sentences. _Like father, like daughter_, she mused to herself.

Suddenly, she gasped, as though remembering something. "Are you hungry?" she asked, already on her way to the kitchen. "I'll fix dinner!"

Bella and Edward exchanged an awkward glance. Their thoughts were one and the same. Reluctant to offend, yet reluctant to have to later regurgitate... What to do?

However, before either of them could reply, "Dinner would be great," Charlie voiced, "But, vampires don't eat food, remember, Ren?"

For a moment, Bella stopped breathing. She had expected Carlisle to tell her father everything, but hearing the words come out of his mouth was another matter altogether.

Instantly, Renée turned about, feeling thoroughly witless and embarrassed. "Right! Of course! I'm sorry, kids. So much to remember... Actually, since Charlie told me, I rented the first four seasons of _Buffy the Vampire Slayer_. Charlie said you'd be coming, so we got everything prepared."

Bella shuddered to think what that could possibly mean. Had every crucifix disappeared from their house? It wasn't as if they had ever had a stash of Holy Water or wooden stakes. Not that any of those things would have made the slightest difference, anyway... Would she find coffins in the basement?

"Very considerate of you," Edward replied, though he knew Charlie still had a secret stash of garlic in his closet, a fact which he could not help but find slightly amusing.

For what seemed like several minutes, an awkward minute passed in which they all stood ineptly trying to think of something to say. The subject of her being a vampire was breeched, but still not truly discussed. It was as though her parents were just trying to postpone the inevitable, prolonging her misery.

In the end, it was Charlie who spoke. "So, uh...you staying long?"

Bella's eyes flashed to Edward's. She knew that whatever she said, he'd go along with. "A few days."

"Only a few _**days**_?" Renée replied incredulously. "Can't you stay longer than that? We haven't seen you in more than a year!"

Plunging his hands in his pockets, Edward replied, "I don't think we'll be missed at least for two weeks, do you, Bella?"

Two weeks definitely seemed to appease both her parents, and they turned expectantly to her. "Two weeks," she replied, nodding her head.

Renée sighed, and Charlie merely nodded his head. Despite everything, all the cruel, apathetic emails, they still wanted her.

"Uh, Mom," Bella suddenly said, "what are _**you**_ doing here? Why aren't you in Jacksonville?"

Sighing and sitting in a chair, Renée replied, "Now, Bella. You can't leave a message on my answering machine like you did, unfinished I might add, and not expect me to call your father! I don't think we've talked as much in the past twenty-one _**years**_ than we have in the last six months."

"What about Phil?" Bella asked as she and Edward instinctively migrated over to the sofa, Charlie pulling in a chair from the kitchen.

"Packing," Renée replied.

"Packing?" Bella repeated. "What for?"

"Jacksonville didn't really work out. Fortunately, a club in Cincinnati picked him up right away. We've already bought a house, and everything. I'll be listening to WKRP everyday!"

"I'm not sure that's really a radio station, and _**Ohio**_?" Bella said doubtfully. Somehow she couldn't picture her mother settling too long in a place noted for their agriculture...

"It'll be...different," Renée admitted, but seemed humourous about it. "Who knows, maybe I'll grow potatoes in the garden."

"That's Idaho," Bella said.

"Corn then," Renée corrected.

"Iowa," Bella went on.

Suddenly Charlie voiced up. "I believe they grow potatoes and corn in Ohio too, Bell..."

Bella knew when she was being told to shut up. But, all the same, it seemed so strange to be sitting on her old sofa again, with both parents having a semi-normal conversation. Yet all the while, she and Edward were monsters whose demons lingered just below the surface.

The mood gradually eased, and several times, laughter could be heard by passersby while walking their dogs before bed. Inside, the room was swathed in a warm golden glow. They spoke like no time had passed at all, and the initial awkwardness now seemed to be ebbing entirely away. Renée was full of questions of whether his family liked and accepted her, what exciting things they had seen in Paris, and what their plans were now.

Bella left out the part about the Vicomte, but said that they saw the Eiffel Tower, and that seemed to appease.

Of course, they had not discussed Bella's mortality, or rather, the lack thereof. That subject, it seemed, had been off limits, at least for that first night. None appeared desirous to talk of it, and Bella certainly didn't bring it up. For now, it would be a conversation for the future, but not for her first night at home after so long.

When at last Charlie and Renée's yawns became more frequent and of greater length, they knew it was time for bed. Renée hugged her daughter again, and then said, "I hope you don't mind, Bella, but I've been sleeping in your room. However, now that you're home again, I don't mind taking the couch if you and Edward...um..."

"It's alright, Ren," Charlie said, rising up off his chair and stretching. "Remember what I told you? Vampires don't sleep."

"Right, right, right," Renée replied, still holding onto Bella's arms. "I just...can't seem to wrap my head around that one. It's true, then? You really don't...sleep? Not at all? Ever?"

Staring into her mother's gentle eyes, Bella shook her head. "Never."

"I don't know if I like the idea of you never sleeping," Renée replied. Somehow, for a reason she didn't even know or understand, that knowledge made her sad. "It seems unhealthy..." However, knowing that Bella would always go her own way, she was forced to relent the topic. "Well, time for bed. Goodnight, kids."

"Sweet dreams, Mom," Bella couldn't help but say. That saying stopped Renée dead in her tracks. How many countless times had she whispered those very same words to her daughter, dreading the day she would grow up... Blinking back tears, Renée turned around one last time, giving Bella a final squeeze before making her way up the stairs. Edward she gave a gentle pat on the arm.

Charlie stood at the kitchen doorway. He wanted to hug her goodnight, but even when Bella was a human it felt strange. There had been such a distance between them when she was _**alive**_. It now seemed that an enormous gulf separated them, now that she was... But, he couldn't say 'dead'... Couldn't think 'dead'. She could walk, talk, breathe... She _**was**_ alive. For him to survive this, she had to be alive to him. Even if it meant being something he couldn't quite understand.

"Goodnight Bells. Edward," Charlie said, and headed up the stairs after hearing their replies.

The house grew quiet and still around them, as they cuddled on the sofa, a lone light keeping them company. Everything from the smell of her grandmother's afghan to the hum of the gas furnace seemed to welcome her home. It felt odd staying away from her bedroom, and not following them up. Secretly, Bella thought it would have been nice laying on her old bed all night with Edward, just as they used to do.

But this would never be like old times again. Everything had changed. Some for the better, some for the worse. Even though _**they**_ had not, time had changed things. They could not go back. Edward was used to this, she reasoned. He had passed through the decades like she flipped through a history book. For Bella, however, this would take some getting used to.

When at last Charlie's snores could be heard, Edward turned to her. "They're both asleep. Renée's dreaming of you."

"What's in her dream? What am I doing?"

He stroked her head. He desperately wanted to lie. It was so easy. But, no. They had come too far for him to stoop to such tactics. It's true that the truth hurts, but they could bear it together. As one, there was nothing they could not conquer. "She's begging you to stay."

Guilt. Yes, Bella's guilt was overwhelming. The months apart from her parents had been all about _**her**_. What _**she**_ was doing, _**her**_ life. No matter what, she would not repeat that time. Consequences be damned! The Brethren could go to Hell, and she would happily send them on a one-way trip if need be!

"Things will be different now," she promised him, snuggling in closer still. "I can't appear now, only to suddenly fake my death. I won't do it, Edward. They love me, and I love them. My time of torturing them is over. Human or vampire, I'm seeing them. Got it?"

He blinked at her. "Did you honestly think I'd fight you on that?"

It was her turn to feel stumped. "I thought...the Volturi... I thought you'd recommend me to stay away..."

"The Brethren can _**bite**_ me. Besides, they owe you one. Clearing mine and Jacob's debt or not, killing that Vicomte-guy has got to be worth something pretty big. We can't let Aro off the hook too easily after all they pulled..."

Bella smiled. Perhaps there _**was**_ a chance for everything to work out. Edward supporting her by her side, her family close, a phone-call away... After so much darkness, was that _**light**_ at the end of the tunnel?

Outside and under a newborn September sky, they stepped silently out the back door, staring up at the glowing harvest moon. It seemed larger than usual and glowed a burnt gold, as though flames of the sun flickered across it like a roaring campfire.

At last free from cares and tribulation, they ran fast and freely under lofty trees and a starlit sky. They were home, in the familiar woods whose gullies and glens were as familiar to them as their very skin.

In their bounding over moss and twig, they came upon a small herd of deer. Edward's reaction was swift. In a hair's breath, he lunged forward for the attack. The herd, startled, made a run for it, and he raced after them through the midnight brush.

Bella, on the other hand, stood frozen on the spot. She had smelt the deer, and tasted the venom in her throat. The sudden desire to feed was intoxicating, but her fear would not give way.

Suddenly, Edward returned, looking questioningly at her. "Bella? What's wrong?"

After a moment's contemplation, she said, "I don't think I can do this."

"What?" he asked, striding close to her. "Feed?"

Bella nodded. "I'm scared of what might happen."

"Bella, please tell me what happened in Paris. Help me understand. You don't have to suffer alone."

She turned away, and began to walk. Under Bella's feet was lain the soft earth of the forest floor, still warm from summer's last breath. But as she walked, her footfalls lay not on rock and mossy twig, but on the crisp echoing sound of French hardwood. Turning about, she faced not Edward, but the Vicomte, ruthless and infinitely sure of himself.

Or, at least, that was how he appeared when he still had all ten fingers. But as Bella spat them out and swallowed the last of the human blood in her mouth, all humanity was lost to her. The ferocious beast which snarled and quaked against its stronghold was broken loose. The blood, as it trickled down her throat only let loose the demon, forsaking all altruism, reason, or mercy.

And now when Augustin lunged, his eight claw-like fingers stretched out, grabbing hold of her arm, whirling her about.

But she was now a force to be reckoned with. He had never met this creature before; Bella, the demon. She snapped at him ferociously again, and instinctively he let go, fearful that he would lose yet more of his appendages.

In a move that was quite impressive to witness, Augustin lunged off the wall, hitting her with full force as they slid into a combative heap and hit the wall of mirrors, shattering it down upon them like jagged rain. The glass they did not heed, for it was not sharp enough to break through their steel-like skin.

For Augustin, it was a difficult business. His right hand was slippery with blood, and it seemed could only punch rather than confine. His left hand drew uncomfortably close to Bella's razor-like jaws, but he was now after her throat. He would snap it like a twig, and send her head to Caius as a present.

Yet, each time he came close enough to do so, she snarled and snapped at him, flashing those all so dangerous teeth his way. At last she freed a hand of her own, and with it, pressed so hard against his contemptuous chin, he feared his neck was going to snap back.

A sharp blow to her ribs made her give way, and they rolled apart, their chests heaving, murder in both of their eyes.

For Demetri, there was little he could do but stand and watch. The five vampires around him and Heidi screamed ever on, their faces dark and ferocious, never before more like a pack of snarling, snapping, bloodthirsty creatures of the night. But, they held their course to the sidelines. One dared not step a toe out of line. They would watch this to whatever end came.

Bella sat hunched and close to the floor, squatted like a cat. Augustin, however, stretched his legs, and looked at his mangled hand. Through the red blood and tissue, white broken bones could be seen, poking through the torn flesh. "Voici! Look what a _**ugly**_ monster you 'ave made of me, Bel-la! 'Twas not polite! Why you do this, hein? I _**told**_ you, it did not 'ave to come to zis!"

But Bella did not answer, for she was not truly Bella anymore. Whatever logic had put her in that situation, whatever desire to do good, was lost. She cared no more for saving Edward or Jacob than she cared for the dirt on her shoe.

It was in her smile, evil and bloodied, that Augustin began to be fearful. He noticed the change in her eyes, and inwardly, wondered where she had possibly come from, and of all the luck that the fools, Aro and Caius, would have found her before him. She could have been most useful to him. But as it was, she frightened him.

"Bel-la? Did you 'ear me?"

Within a flash, before he could react, Bella lunged. Her strong hands caught both his wrists, and she landed on top of him. Before he had time to move, Bella struck. She opened her mouth, biting down on the very thing she thirsted for most: Augustin's throat.

Her jaws tore through his stone-like skin effortlessly, letting free the fresh human blood just below its surface. It was ripe and rich with it, as he had feasted just hours before her arrival. Now, it flowed from the open gash, and while she drank, she bit farther and deeper through bone and rock-like flesh. When her head last rose up, her face bloody and brilliant, her eyes flaming red, Augustin lay in pieces. His two fingers less than a yard away from them, his body beneath her, and his severed head, chewed through by her teeth.

Not a sound or a whisper could be heard. She rose off of him, empowered, rejuvenated, and ready for more. Who would dare approach her now?

The Vicomte's coven stood silently back, staring at her. Their faces were like blank sheets of paper, white and pristine, giving no information away.

At last, Demetri took a step forward.

Bella's reaction was swift, she lurched backward into the attack stance, and barred her teeth. They were far from white now, as bloodied as they were.

"Bella," Demetri begged, standing perfectly still, but raising an imploring hand. "Do you know me?"

Bella stared at him, but did not move. Her eyes narrowed on his figure. "Traitor," she hissed.

Sighing, Demetri nodded. "That's right. But I am also your friend. I have always been your friend. Do you not remember?"

A minute passed in which Bella looked at the faces of every vampire standing behind Demetri. They all appeared to be waiting for something. What? "Liar..."

Demetri let down his hand. She would not trust him, and that could only mean that he could not save her.

And Heidi immediately stepped forward, beside him. "What about me, Bella? Do you know me? What's my name?"

Bella looked at this new person with skepticism. "Heidi," she hissed, still unmoved."That's right. I'm Heidi. Tell me, Bella. What are you doing here?"

Bella thought a moment. What _**was**_ she doing there? "Kill..." was all she could manage.

"That's right. You were to kill the Vicomte. Now, you've done that. Do you remember why? You wanted to save someone. Do you remember who? Who did you want to save, Bella?"

A soft whisper rose up from the dark chasm in her mind and soul. A name. The demon within growled for the voice to be silenced, but the whisper grew. The name evoked a memory. The memory, a feeling. "Edward..." she replied, her face relaxing for the first time since the decapitation.

"Edward, that's right," Heidi said, nodding and taking another step forward. "Edward is waiting for you at the Eiffel Tower. Do you remember? You love Edward. You're going to marry him. Do you remember why you love Edward?"

Each time Heidi said his name, a memory in Bella's head fired off. She could see him, perfect and gorgeous in the school cafeteria. And then again, sparkling in the sunlight in their meadow... Again, as she screamed to him, jumping into his arms and wrapping herself in his warm embrace... Lastly, his face close to hers as they shared the same pillow, whispering that he loved her beyond all things.

As the memories came, the demon slowly repressed, its growling snarl growing more quiet. She no longer thought of the blood in her mouth, the thirst in her throat. She thought only of him. The one...who meant everything.

She rose up, standing straight and tall, but still hesitant. "He's coming?" she asked, struggling to sift through the chaos of thoughts and human side of her as it battled the demon for supremacy.

"No," Heidi replied, shaking her head and taking another step closer. "We need to go to him. He really wants to see you. Do you want to see him?"

Breathing slowly, Bella nodded her head. Edward. He was real, not just a dream. And he wanted her. Wanted to see her. She could feel the demon sink inside of her, as if going to a growling sleep, and in its place, her humanity won out.

She blinked, swallowed the last of the blood, and was Bella once more. "Okay, Heidi. I'm okay." She took a step forward, and the two girls hugged each other. Demetri rushed forward, joining the embrace. He stroked her hair, still sticky with blood, but did not heed it, or its smell. His mind and heart were only happy that Bella had won out.

But as the three separated, they turned their wary attention to the five vampires of Augustin's coven standing by the door, still unmoved. At once, they all converged on Bella, smiling and shaking her hand.

Bella smiled weakly, but the bloody mangled mess of the Vicomte was still at her feet. She wondered at this show of gratitude. Five against three, they could easily be overwhelmed and killed.

"Merci, Bel-la!" Adele said, leaning in and kissing Bella on both cheeks. "Oh, zank you so very much! We are all indebted to you, comprenez?"

"I...don't understand," Bella said, thoroughly confused as each French vampire stood beaming at her, desperate to touch her arm, hand, or shoulder.

"We were as slaves to 'im," one of the gentlemen replied, holding fast to her left hand. "Myself for a 'undred and two years."

"Oui," Adele said, nodding. "He made me in 1904, Josephte in... Quand vous a-t-il fait?"

"Cent cincquante-tois ans," Josephte replied darkly.

"Ah, oui," Adele said, nodding. "A 'undred and fifty-zree years. And Simon et Julien have been with 'im zee longest. N'est pas, Julien? You do not know what you 'ave done for us, Bel-la. You 'ave set us free."

Again Adele swooped in, grasping Bella in a tight embrace. Blinking, Bella could simply reply, "You're welcome."

When Adele pulled away, she laughed uproariously, her voice like the soft tinkling of crystal. "My, Bella! But you _**do**_ look a fright! Come with me. You can use my room to clean up."

Adele grasped her hand, and pulled a dazed Bella up the many stairs and staircases to a room on the third floor. It was equally massive and magnificent as the rest of the house. It boasted not a four poster bed, but a massive king-sized canopy attached to the fifteen foot ceiling, with an ornate gilded crest on its end. The rest of the room was dressed in white, the Vicomte's favourite colour, obviously. Gilded mirrors, and mahogany furniture furnished the room, as the south facing windows let in streams of golden light. It was a room fit for a queen.

"You like it?" Adele asked, remarking on Bella's open-mouthed expression.

"It's...like nothing I've ever seen."

"Zank you," Adele said. "But now that Augustin is dead, I zink I should add some colour. White is zo boring! Zee bathroom is zair, and I will leave out some clothes for you, alright?"

"Thank you, Adele," Bella replied, humbled. "You're very kind. I had thought..."

Staring expectantly at her, Adele said, "What? Zat we would kill you?" Again she laughed. "We were not screaming for _**your**_ blood, Bel-la. To live long under the will of a monster is 'ard to bear. But, after all of zees years, we really 'ad no 'ope for you." She shook her head, and smiled. "Listen to me complain! Is finish! You clean up. I will see you prochaintment."

Bella went to the bathroom and shut the door. The sight that met her in the mirror was nothing short of sickening.

Bella appeared as though she had walked off the set of a horror movie. Her skin was stained blood read, and strands of her hair had clumped together and dried.

However, what struck her more horrifying still, was that she had seen this face before. The attack, now so long ago, while she had still been human. The last hours of her humanity, spent in a bloody, self-defensive murder.

Here, after all this time, she was again. Bloody and alive, but for one difference. One difference that changed everything.

She turned around, and Edward was there. She was no longer in the white marble bathroom, but in a darkened forest near her home in Forks. Clean, but for the blood on her hands that could never wash off.

"You can't blame yourself for that," Edward said, pulling her close to himself. "Given the choice, of _**course**_ you didn't want to kill him. You were only doing what you had to, to save your own life!"

"This time was different," Bella said, clinging closer to him, as though hiding her face in his chest.

"How?"

It made Bella sick to think of it. Never before, not even in her dark days of feasting on humans with the same name as her lover had she ever gone so far, giving the demon within total and complete control. "I...enjoyed it."

Edward swallowed hard. "You're scared that if you feed, you'll lose control again?"

"Yes," her muffled voice replied.

"Look at me, Bella. Look at me," he said, gently turning her unwilling face upward to meet his. "I'm here. I'm not going anywhere, ever again. We can't change what we are. But there is a choice to be made, and you've done it. You've maintained control all day, in an airport, on the planes, and now, so close to your parents. You have amazing control, you just don't see it!"

"What if I start to feel myself slip? What if it starts to take me, and I can't hold it back?"

"Then I'll be right here to bring you back." He kissed her, but could not dispel her fears. He suddenly raised his head, sniffing the air. "Another herd is close by. Can you smell them?"

Reluctantly, Bella nodded.

"Do you want to try?"

"Not really, but I know I should."

"I love you, Bella," he whispered. "I'd never let anything happen to you."

She nodded, and together, they strode off in search of dinner.


	49. One Step Forward

**49. ONE STEP FORWARD**

Bella was both impressed and grateful for how Edward had taken her duel with the Vicomte. She had expected him to be disgusted, as she would have been, she thought, had their places been reversed. But, as it was, he did not judge her. And for that, she was infinitely appreciative.

He was not so forgiving with Demetri. She had not told him of his deceit until the early morning hours upon their near return to Charlie's house. His reaction had been swift and resolute.

"I'll kill him," was his only reply, dark and menacing, in the early dawn's light.

"He didn't mean to do it," Bella found herself replying. A few days ago, she never would have dreamed that she could be justifying Demetri's actions, much less making excuses for him.

"Bella, need I remind you of the damage his meddling has caused? I have every reason in the world to hate him! I nearly lost you forever because of him, and his actions put us all through complete hell! You want me to just stand back and let that pass without any kind of action at all?"

"Yes."

"I can't do that, Bella. This is just too much of a betrayal. It's just too deep. He's got to pay for what he's done." Edward took a few steps away from her. It seemed that he would, at that very moment, up and leave, and hunt down Demetri, evening the score.

"Like he won't know you're coming," Bella replied, trailing after him. "He's probably one of the best trackers in the world!"

"I'll do my best," Edward shot back, still striding toward the house. Emmett and Rosalie would be on his side. Jasper, perhaps not, as he and Demetri had grown quite close in the past months. Of course, he might feel just as betrayed...

"What would _**you**_ have done?!" Bella shouted to a fleeting Edward.

"I don't know what you mean," he replied, still striding on, letting his rage take hold, being the driving force of his actions and decisions.

Speeding beyond humanly possible, she rounded on him, blocking his path. "If you were him, what would you have done to save me?"

"It's not the same thing," he said, glowering.

"It's not so very different. You were prepared to kill Jacob to be with me, weren't you? You knew how that would break my heart, and nonetheless, you were going to do it."

"Bella..." he began, but she cut him off.

"No, I'm not mad, Edward. I understand. Really, I do. Better than anyone, except perhaps Demetri. What Aro and Caius want, Aro and Caius get. Demetri was just a pawn, just as you and I were pawns. We had no will. No choice. Neither did Demetri. It wasn't personal. He actually tried to save me."

"He tried very hard, I'm sure," Edward snapped back, his voice full of venom and sarcasm.

"Demetri, alone, knew all of the Vicomte's secrets and vulnerabilities. Without him, do you _**really**_ think I would've won that duel?" Bella could only stare at him exasperated. "I'm tired of this, Edward. Really, I'm just...tired. At what point does the Volturi stop controlling us? Stop getting to us? Stop...trying to break us apart? All of us? There will be no end to their meddling and conniving until we cease letting them control us. I've forgiven Demetri. I'd like you to do the same as well."

For a full ten minutes Edward could not reply other than shaking his head, no. He clenched his teeth, walking in circles, but did not speak. It was true that they would never fully be rid of the Volturi. Their relationship now seemed too close, too connected. He feared what the future might hold for them as a family, and also for him and Bella.

Despite Bella's arguments making sense, his heart still battled against them. He was not one to easily forgive treachery, and Demetri's had hit so close to home by offering Bella as a sacrifice to a much more formidable, experienced and deadly foe. The monster within cried out for blood.

But in the end, was she right? He would do anything for her or his family. Absolutely anything. Despite that knowledge, he still could not let his guard down and forgive. "Have it your way then," he said in the end, though obviously unhappy about it. "I don't like it, Bella, and I can never forgive him. But if you don't want him hurt, then fine. But, it doesn't mean I have to like it, or agree with you."

She looked up into his beautiful, perfect face as the first of the sun's golden rays broke through the trees. "I'm sorry," was all she could say. She knew she was asking a lot of him, but it was time for the gore and chaos their lives had become to be over. No more blood to be spilt. No more war rages or suffering. V-Day had at last come, and now was the time to pick up the pieces of their lives, and live it.

"Don't apologize," he said with all seriousness. "I understand. Really, I do. I just hope your charity doesn't come back to haunt us."

"Demetri's not like that."

"We shall see," he replied, still unconvinced. "Time will tell."

Bella knew that there was nothing to be gained by arguing with him further. He may never forgive Demetri, just as all the others may never forgive him. Time, it seemed, would indeed tell.

They walked hand in hand back to the house, still quiet in the early morning light. Slipping in through the back door, Edward suddenly stopped. "Charlie's awake. He wants to talk to you, and he's hoping I'm not around."

"Stay," she begged, suddenly anxious. "Please stay."

"Bella, he just wants to talk. He's your father. He..." Edward smiled. "He won't bite."

"Ha ha," Bella replied, not finding it remotely funny. "Please, just stay."

"I'll be in the backyard. I won't be far. Promise." In a rush of air that felt nothing more than a breeze, he was gone, and she shut the door. Just then, as predicted, Charlie strode into the room.

"Oh! You're a...here." He was about to say 'awake', but caught himself at the last moment. "Uh, where's Edward?"

"Out for a morning walk," she replied, shooting the forest behind the house a dark glare no doubt he would see. She turned back to Charlie to notice him dressed in his full Police regalia. "Off to work today?"

He looked at her curiously a moment. "It's Thursday, Bells."

"Oh!" Bella replied, blinking. Strange how the days slipped away from her. She now lived in an existence where one needn't particularly require to know what day it was! "Of course," she said, embarrassed.

"So...uh...what are your plans for the day?"

"I don't quite know, really. I'd like to stop in and see Billy. Do you think we'd be welcome?"

Charlie stared at her a moment. "Why wouldn't you be welcome?"

"I dunno," Bella replied, not certain as to how to put it. "Vampires...werewolves...the whole history there..."

Charlie blinked, and appeared to have stopped breathing. "What?! What the hell are you talking about, Bells?"

Bella now stood with her mouth agape. _Idiot!_ "Uh..." she said in one long syllable. "What were we talking about again?"

But, Charlie wasn't having any of that. He was too keen a Police Officer. "Isabella Swan, what the hell do you mean, _**'werewolves'**_! The 'vampire' thing I get, bizarre as it sounds, but I insist on you filling me in on the rest."

Bella's heart sank. This wasn't what she wanted to have happen at all. And yet, in a way that seemed strangely ironic, it was fitting. No more secrets, no more lies. Billy, after all, had told Charlie about _**her**_ being a vampire. It seemed only appropriate that she tell him about the Quileute tribe descending from wolves.

He took the news surprisingly well. Much better than she would have expected. But, after all, this was not his first monster story. He stood rubbing his temple and shaking his head. "Strangely, this makes some sense. Is that why Jacob and all those other boys got so huge?"

"Yeah."

"Huh. I just thought they were on _**steroids**_, or something. I'm not sure which is better, to be honest."

Bella could not help but grin like an idiot, but she knew what he meant. The mood softened to calm, and she wondered why she had dreaded being alone with him in the first place. Things had returned to how they had always been. It was just like old times.

He looked at her thoughtfully. "I need to ask you something, Bells."

"Okay," she said, her dread returning as quickly as it had departed.

"I'm a little nervous to ask you, if I'm being honest."

_Oh God_, thought Bella. Whatever it was, it could not be good. "Uh huh."

He sighed and looked at her squarely in the eye, as though trying to decipher a riddle. Building up his courage, he said, in a strict Police Officer voice, "I need you to tell me about the night you left."

_Oh, Holy Mary mother of God. _"What, uh...what do you mean?"

His eyes bore into hers. He nodded his head. "Alright then. Let me tell you what _**I**_ know." He opened his flip book from his pants pocket. The pages looked worn, as though having been flipped through countless times. "August 2nd, 2008, you were working at Newton's store. There, you had cake with the Newton boy and his mom, celebrating your last day, and left."

"You contacted the Newtons?" Bella asked incredulously.

"I'm a cop, Bella. You went missing. Of course I did." He returned to looking through his notes. "Mrs. Newton claimed to have let you go early on said night. You left, and they did not see you again. Correct so far?"

Had Bella a beating heart, it would've been about ready to explode in her chest at this point. As it was, she couldn't breathe. Nodding her head, she gulped. She knew Edward could hear all of this right now. He was probably going as mental as she was.

Charlie nodded his head, and continued on. "Your purse and contents were discovered scattered along the side of your truck outside the Newton's store at closing time, four hours later. Concerned, they called me. With me so far?"

Again, Bella nodded.

"This is where things get complicated. Did you know I went to the Cullen's house that night to check on you?"

Bella's eyes were wide with horror. Her mind struggled to think back, retrace the long-ago steps.

"No?" he went on, carefully observing her face. "Found a broken window on the second story, but as I didn't have a warrant, I couldn't get inside. Where did you go that night, Bell? The truth."

Bella closed her gaping mouth, and sighed deeply. The truth. "Nowhere. I was there."

"I banged on the door a hundred times!" he barked, his patience at last having snapped. "Why the hell didn't you or Alice answer? Were you even _**with**_ Alice?"

"No," she said, shaking her head. "I was with Edward." The truth will out. What did it matter now, anyway? There was nothing he could do to her, and there was nothing he could say that she didn't deserve. It was his parental right to ream her out something special. She had avoided it long enough.

He sighed sternly, and crossed his arms angrily across his chest. "Well, why the hell didn't either of you answer the door?!"

"By then it was too late, Dad," she replied calmly. "I had already started to change."

"Change? Change? What do you mean, _**'change'**_?"

In a calmness that even surprised her, she replied, "Into a vampire. Edward bit me that night."

Clearly, this was not the answer that Charlie had been expecting. He let loose his arms, and furrowed his brow. "Is that how it's done? He's gotta bite you?"

"Yes. It was an accident, but it happened. Don't blame him, please. You have no idea the guilt he went through. He never wanted this for me."

Charlie began to pace in circles, processing this new information. This gave Bella the opportunity to gaze longingly into the woods. Edward was there, she could just make out the outline of his Apollo-like figure. Though not being able to hear his thoughts, she was certain he was in agony listening to this.

"Wait a second! Wait a second!" Charlie said, trying to wrap his thoughts around this new bit of information. "So...you didn't go to Europe the next day?"

"What? No." But then the realization dawned on her. She had been well into the turn at this point. Needing an alibi, no doubt Carlisle or Esme hacked into her email account (password: Edward, stupidly enough), and sent Charlie a phony email, saying that she was off to Europe. "The process takes three days. Three...very painful, horrible days. There was no way I could have contacted you, Dad. I barely knew my name at that point, the pain was so excruciating. I've never felt anything like it. It was like I was burning alive."

Covering his mouth with his hand, it looked as though Charlie was about to be sick. His eyes looked wrathful, but he appeared shaky, as though attempting to stand up in a boat in rough, uncertain seas. "Alright," he said, waving his arm through the air, casting an imaginary thought aside. "Let's put this on the back burner for a minute. Why the hell was all your stuff on the side of the street? What are you not telling me?"

Bella knew it hadn't been her fault. She had been attacked. Kidnapped. It was self-defence. But, _**what**_ she knew, she couldn't excuse. She was equally certain what _**he**_ could not forgive, was that after, she had _**not**_ called the police. She had not called _**him**_. Like a guilty coward, she fled. And Edward covered it up.

He watched her as she stood silently still like a statue, unmoved, unbreathing. Breaking the silence, he asked, "Does the name 'Adam Lester Johns' mean anything to you?"

At this, she blinked. "No. Should it?"

"That depends." He swallowed, and his face became suddenly pained. "Did you kill him, Bells?"

Bella didn't even have a chance to reply. Suddenly the back door flew open, and with agility and speed that was nowhere near human, Edward appeared, unconcerned with showing Charlie how quickly he got there. "I did it, Sir. Not Bella. It was me."

Charlie blinked and shook his head. He was certain that Edward had not been there a second ago! And, how the devil could he have heard their conversation? Yet, all the same, he turned to Bella for confirmation.

"What?!" she cried. "Edward, no! He's lying, Dad. It was me!"

Edward stepped in front of Bella, blocking her from view. "With all due respect, Sir, I think we both know who's the murderer between Bella and myself, and it's not her."

"Dad!" Bella gasped, shoving Edward ruthlessly aside. As strong as he was, he was no match for her strength. "He's lying! He's just trying to protect me! It was self-defence, but it was me. Don't listen to him!"

"I assure you, Sir," Edward continued, holding back Bella with his arm and looking directly in Charlie's eyes, "it was me."

"Edward!" Bella said, horrified.

"Enough!" Charlie said, silencing them both. "Firstly," he turned to Bella, his eyes now scared. "Did...did he...hurt...you at all?"

Bella shook her head. In her mind's eye, the attack was as fresh and alive as though it occurred only yesterday. She could still feel the fear, hear his short, rasping breath. "Just a few bruises. Not that he didn't try. Did I think he was going to kill me? Yes. I grabbed something off the desk and hit him with it, until he fell."

Charlie nodded his head. He swallowed as if swallowing back sickness that had risen up, brushed his mustache with his left hand a few times, before clearing his throat. "We didn't find any fingerprints in the house, you know. Nothing. Who cleaned up?"

"Me, Sir," Edward admitted.

"Why in God's name wouldn't either of you have called me?! Do you realize what kind of position this puts me in? Self-defence is one thing. Hiding something is completely different. Can't you fathom how guilty you two look?!"

To a casual observer, seeing Bella and Edward stand there, both their head's hung low, they most certainly did look guilty.

Charlie nodded his head. His point had been made. "It may interest you to know that he was wanted in three states."

"What for?" Bella asked, wondering what horrors she had escaped from.

"Five counts of rape," Charlie continued, his voice sounding more disgusted with every word, "two counts of murder, one count of paedophilia, and another for performing an indignity to a deceased body. No one cried when it was reported that he'd been murdered, and I was even contacted by one of the families, wishing to shake the person's hand..."

Edward furrowed his brow. "How did you know it was Bella?" wondering what evidence he could possibly have missed.

Charlie shrugged his left shoulder. "Unidentified strand of hair in his car. After weeks of getting nothing but weird emails from you, Bells, I couldn't shake this feeling that something was wrong. That the two incidents were somehow connected. I borrowed your hairbrush, and had the boys in the lab cross reference it to see if it was a match. It was. I didn't tell them what it was for, just that I needed it. When it was you, I..." he couldn't say any more. The look on his face said enough. Bella could only wonder what untold agonies he must've suffered with that knowledge for so long.

"I'm sorry, Dad," she said. "We should've gone to you."

"Damn right, you should've!" he snapped, running his fingers through his hair. "Well, doesn't matter now. No one cares who killed a diseased roach like Johns. It's done. Case closed. I..." He looked at the clock on the wall, and seemed at a loss for words. "I...gotta get to work."

With that, he walked to the door, and strapped on his gun before pulling on his coat.

"Dad," Bella said, striding to the door after him. "If you want us gone, I'll understand. What we did was unforgivable, and...was of so little credit to you. I...there's no way we can ever..."

"Bells," he said softly, while opening the door. "You're right...about all those things. But, you're also my daughter. If I came back tonight and you weren't here, well, that'd really upset me. So, no. Don't go, please. Not yet. Please." He looked away, but did not move.

"Alright, Dad," she said, deeply touched that after everything, he still wanted her. "We'll be here. Oh! And, Dad...please don't tell Mom."

"Alright," he replied thoughtfully, and putting on his hat, strode out the door.

Bella watched as he climbed into the cruiser, reversed out of the driveway, and made off down the street. She didn't know why, but she continued staring out the door, at nothing in particular.

"I'm sorry, Bella," Edward said, his arms wrapping around her. "I didn't see where his thoughts were going until it was too late."

"It's alright. I always knew we were in the wrong. It's fine. Really," she said, at last shutting the door, and turning around to face him. "It's about time he knew everything. It's kind of a relief, actually."

Just then, Renée stepped cautiously down the stairs, already dressed, her eyes wide as she surveyed the room. "Who won the war? Is it safe to come out of hiding?"

Smiling, Bella replied, "Yeah, Mom. It's okay. Char...I mean, Dad's gone to work. It's all alright. Just...a misunderstanding."

"Uh huh," Renée replied, wholly unconvinced, striding past them to the coffee maker. "So, tell me, you two," she continued while pouring water into the machine, "What's that ring on your finger mean?"

Stunned, Bella looked down at her pearly, white hand, her ring glistening by the flourescent light above them. "Uh...it's an engagement ring, Mom."

Renée nodded, knowing all the while what it was. She dug a filter out of the cabinet drawer, measured the pre-ground coffee, and turned on the machine. "So, when's the wedding? Are we invited?" Her question had a air of haughtiness to it, that Bella assumed came from being kept out of the loop so long.

"Of course you're invited, Mom. Uh...the date is...we haven't really set one yet."

"Oh? Why not?" Renée asked, glancing curiously back and forth between her daughter and son-in-law-to-be.

Why not?! Bella blinked, but despite not wishing to hide anything from her parents anymore, could _**not**_ tell them of the Volturi, killing two hundred year old vampires, eating people... The list went on and on.

Edward, perceiving Bella's inner struggle, expertly replied, "We were waiting to let you, Charlie and Phil in on the good news. We wanted to choose a date that worked best for everyone important enough to be involved."

Bella blinked at Edward. Never, in a million years, could she have come up with so awesome a lie so fast.

His words seemed to appease Renée. But, she still had a beef. "I'm worried that you're too young, Bella. And you too, Edward. After all, you're only twenty. There's lots of time to get married and have kids, right?"

_Uh oh_, Bella thought. Clearly, Charlie or Carlisle had not told them everything. But, somehow Bella knew that spilling the beans about Edward's age would not have instilled any confidence in Renée.

"We love each other, Mom. I know we seem young, and that we have all the time in the world, and I guess we do. But, this is something really important to us. It's a symbol, showing how serious we are about each other. How much we love each other. We're not going to be just another statistic. We know marriage takes a lot of work. One of us is not going to just up and leave at the first sign of..." but she stopped short, swallowing the last of her words. They had hit too close to home. She had just described what her mother had done when she walked out on Charlie, all those years ago.

It was evident that Renée felt her daughters words. "Of course I don't want you to make the same mistakes I did, Bella. Your father and I...we were so young. _**I**_ was so young. I had so many dreams! I wanted to do things. See things. Not be stuck in a small town with a baby..." but she suddenly stopped, for now the words hit close to home for Bella. Swallowing, Renée went on, saying, "I just don't want you later to have any...regrets."

Striding closer to her mother and putting her hands on her shoulders, she replied, "I won't. Or if I do, they'll be ours to bear, but we'll get past them together. I know you're worried for me. But, you don't have to be. Never before were two people more meant to be together than Edward and I. I know it in my bones. I've always known. Nothing will ever change that."

Renée wiped away a tear, and pulled Bella close in a tight embrace. "I hope you'll be happy, then." Her eyes turned to Edward. "And I hope you'll love each other as much as you do now, for the rest of your days."

Edward nodded his head. "We will."

Again, Renée nodded, refusing to let go of her daughter as the percolator beside her began to bubble and squeak.

For two hours, they chatted about wedding plans, and Renée's mood seemed to lift under the planning and particulars. Agree with it or not, she too became swept away with ideas they had, and decisions they had made for their special day. Twice now postponed, Bella could not help but be nervous that it would once again be put off by unknown circumstance.

In the afternoon, Edward and Bella went out to the old garage with its chipped white paint and curling green roof, and Edward hauled up the door. It groaned under the torturous movement, but gave way under Edward's brute strength. There, in the darkness with only cobwebs and neglected tools for company, was Bella's truck.

She approached it like an old friend. Edward may have bought her a new, flashy car, but something about seeing it again, brought her back in time. She didn't care about the dents, rusty spots, or inability to reach more than fifty miles per hour. It was a piece of her old life, untouched and unaltered with the passing year.

"I can't believe he kept it," Bella said, running her hands over its steel body, feeling every beloved imperfection.

"Really? I can."

Bella sensed there was more he longed to say. That he somehow left the sentence unfinished. "Why?"

He now seemed disappointed with himself for having said too much. "He always hoped you were going to come home, Bella."

Had she still been human, she reckoned she would have cried.

"C'mon," he said, opening the driver's side door. It moaned loudly, protesting after so long of not being in use. "If you're positive about seeing Billy, we really should go during daylight. Who knows what those wolves will be up to at night."

Bella nodded, and climbed into the car. She smiled. It even smelt the same.

Charlie, it seemed, had taken good care of it in Bella's absence. They noticed the up-to-date sticker for the oil change on the windshield, and a full tank of gas. She roared to life, and Bella relished hearing the familiar putter and vibration as they moved out onto open road.

"It's so slow," Edward managed to complain. "I'd forgotten."

"It's just like old times," Bella replied with a child-like grin upon her face. "I wonder if he'll let me take it back to Sweet Home."

"Oh _**God**_, Bella!" Edward exclaimed. "Please, no! We may have all of eternity, but that doesn't mean that's the pace we need to travel."

"It's _**my**_ car, and if he says yes, then it's coming with me."

Edward's face darkened, as he began to think of ways of murdering the truck at last.

"And," she continued, sensing the route to which his mind was working, "if anything goes wrong with it, I'll know who did it."

"Alright!" he exclaimed, giving in. There were to be many disagreements in their existence together. No doubt sooner or later, the truck would pack it in. This was not a fight worth fighting.

In a length of time that Edward found excruciatingly insufferable, they arrived at the Reservation. Briefly, they halted at the boarder. There was no more treaty. Years ago, they had learned to fight as one. Somehow, they had trusted each other just enough to dispel evil from this place in defeating Victoria and her followers.

But, that was years ago. They hadn't seen the pack since Bella and Jacob returned just after she was a newborn. They had been on Cullen land, sure, but since then, neither Edward nor Bella had had any contact with them.

Edward looked toward the sloping hills as if straining to hear distant thoughts.

"Anything?" Bella asked after a few minutes of silence.

At length, Edward shook his head. "Nothing out of the ordinary." He sighed, turning to her. "Are you sure you want to do this? If Billy told Charlie about what you are, he's not happy with you."

"I promised Jacob."

"Jacob..." he mumbled darkly under his breath. "Jacob be damned."

"Fine then," Bella said, opening the truck door with a loud creak. "I'll go alone."

"Like hell you will!" he said, reaching over in a flash and taking hold of her arm. "Alright. No more complaints. We'll go. I just hope you know what you're doing."

"They're like family, Edward," Bella said reassuringly, pulling the door shut with a slam. "I spent lots of time with them. They won't hurt us."

"That was _**before**_ you turned into a vampire, Bella. They won't look at you the same way now. You don't smell the same..."

"Jacob didn't care."

"Jacob..." Edward bit his tongue. There were many things he could say now, not one of them nice. "I just don't want you to get your hopes up."

"You're wrong," Bella said steadfastly, the memories of campfires, walks on the beach, and blueberry muffins from Emily's kitchen still fresh in her memory.

However, Edward was far from convinced. The engine roared to life again, and they entered Quileute territory.

It had not changed in the year Bella had been away. The houses still looked the same, with the clean laundry hanging out on the line, and the occasional dog chasing after their truck.

Bella could not help but wish it was Jacob they were going to visit. She imagined Tatiana in the kitchen, muttering Russian to herself as she made latkes, her two brothers arguing about the World Soccer Championships with Jacob, Quil and Embry, as Charlie and Billy sipped beer while talking about their latest fishing conquests.

Snapping herself out of her daydream, she turned to see the familiar house from which she had so many happy memories. Now, it merely looked unloved.

"Look's empty," Edward said, leaning down over the steering wheel to gaze out her window.

They climbed out of the truck and stood side by side at the hood, staring at the house. Indeed, it _**did**_ look empty. Bella wondered if she should have called first.

Suddenly, a curtain moved at the livingroom window. Bella felt Edward stiffen beside her as the door swung open.

She had hoped to see Billy wheel himself out the front door, but no. Out strode not one, not two, but _**four**_ massive men whom Bella instantly recognized.

A twig snapped behind them, and Bella turned to see three more, Quil, Leah, and Paul, approaching from behind.

They were surrounded.


	50. Two Steps Back

**50. TWO STEPS BACK**

"What the hell do you leeches want?" Paul snarled behind them.

"We're here to see Billy," Bella replied, her voice calm despite the fear quaking within her. Sensing danger, the demon within struggled to break loose.

Quil took a step toward her only to pucker his face as he caught her scent. "You shouldn't be here, Bella. The treaty..."

Edward didn't answer Quil. He looked to Sam who stood on the porch, observing warily but saying nothing. "The treaty's over. The treaty didn't stop you from entering our land to see Jacob a year ago. Did we complain that day? I don't think so."

"And we fought together!" Bella added, also looking to Sam for mutual understanding. "We worked together to kill Victoria and her army. Do we still need a treaty?"

Paul growled in protest, striding up to them. "Who cares?! What does this matter, anyway? The only _**good**_ bloodsucker is a _**dead**_ bloodsucker."

"I hate to point out the obvious," Edward replied, his golden eyes flashing dangerously to Paul, "but we're _**already**_ dead."

Paul barred his teeth and began to tremble with unbridling fury. He looked as though he might phase at any moment.

Suddenly, Sam commanded, "Paul, enough." Everyone watched as Paul retreated backward, attempting to get better control of himself. "Billy doesn't want to see you, Bella. It's best that you leave."

Bella took a step forward. Edward's hand reached out to stop her, but she pushed it away. "Let me hear that from Billy."

Paul snapped his jaws menacingly, upon which Edward growled a threat in return.

"Enough, I said!" Sam yelled. Turning back to Bella, he spoke more gently, but there was finality in his voice. "You've heard it from me, Bella. It's time for you to go."

The werewolves, as one, took a step forward. Instinctively, Bella turned her gaze to the living room window. "Billy, listen to me! I've got to talk to you! It's about Jacob!"

With that, Sam stretched out his arms, halting the pack. He looked uncertainly toward Bella, as though attempting to sniff out the lie. Then, wheeling himself to the door was Billy. He looked questioningly at Bella, and then at Edward. "Well, c'mon in then, if you've got some news."

Sam turned to Billy, abashed. He may be alpha of the pack, but Billy was descended from chiefs, and an elder to be respected. "Are you sure? Billy, they're _**vampires**_..."

"I know that!" Billy replied, looking at Sam as though he were an idiot. "C'mon, Bella, if you're coming."

Taking each other's hand, Bella and Edward looked ahead as they climbed the steps and up onto the porch. Edward's mind raced as he planned a counter attack just in case the situation turned south. He was pretty sure he could kill at least two before the others had phased, but he would need Bella's help finishing them off. Altogether, he didn't like the situation or the odds very much at all.

Billy rolled himself in and pointed to the old, worn sofa that Bella knew so well. "Have a seat," he offered politely.

Bella and Edward sat down as the werewolves hovered en mass by the doorway.

"So," Billy said, trying to appear less interested in the news than he really was, "when did you last see Jacob?"

"Two days ago," Bella replied, her hand still gripping Edward's tightly. Despite being inside, a step in the right direction, she could taste the distrust in the air.

Nodding, Billy went on as nonchalantly as possible. "And, how was he?"

"Good," Bella replied, smiling. "Really good, in fact. He wants to come home, but he needs to sort out some stuff first."

Paul snorted loudly, as though it were a pitiful excuse.

Disregarding the interruption, Billy's brow furrowed as he asked, "Sort what out?"

"Well," Bella continued, "I'm sure he would've liked to have been able to tell you himself, but...he's met someone."

Sam took an immediate, interested motion forward. "Imprinted?"

It was Edward's turn to reply. "That's correct."

"Then, I'm sorry for him," Sam replied, sitting down on a chair near Billy, "and happy for him at the same time."

"There's something else, as well," Edward said, turning back to Billy. "She's a werewolf, as are her two brothers."

That information was something they did not expect. Bella heard Jared whisper to Seth, "Figures that Jacob, of all people, would go to Europe, find werewolves, and manage to imprint on one."

Bella could not help but smile. It certainly did figure.

After the murmurs and comments subsided, all eyes turned to Billy. He appeared contemplative for a moment, and then broke out into a broad smile. His son was happy. His son was in love. With one of their own kind, no less. He did not have to worry for her, as Sam worried about Emily. As a father, Billy knew he could not hope for much better. "What's she like?"

"Oh, she undoubtedly wears the pants in the family," Edward replied, amusing himself in his reminisces and memories. "She's very Russian, speaks some English, and sure doesn't let him get away with anything."

Embry and Quil especially, it seemed, found this last bit of information particularly amusing, and put it away in their minds for some future, mischievous usage.

"Who's the alpha?" Sam asked, his mind forever tuned to the pack.

"She is," Edward said with a slight nod. "Tatiana's her name."

With that information, there was a collective howl from the boys in the pack. Paul uncharitably piped up, "Goes to show what you know, Leech! Chicks can't be alpha!"

Leah turned a menacing glare toward Paul that made him swallow his words, and take an instinctive step away from her.

"Um," Edward replied, a cocky grin upon his face, "that's where I think you're mistaken. Wolves are by nature, in fact, matriarchal."

Mockingly, Paul snorted loudly, only to look apprehensively Leah's way.

"Shut up, you idiot," Billy said in Paul's direction. "He's right."

Gloatingly, Leah smacked Paul on the arm, after which he rubbed tenderly. She may be smaller than them, but she packed quite the punch.

Smirking at Paul's misfortune, Billy turned his gaze back to his guests. "I must say it's a relief. I don't mean any disrespect, Bella. I've known you a long time. Been your father's friend even longer, but I never warmed to the idea of you and Jacob together. I'm just being honest now, so I hope you'll forgive me."

Bella nodded her head, but couldn't help but feel slightly insulted. What had she ever done to make Billy dislike her? But, as she thought of it, her past conduct came back with a resounding thud.

Edward, it seemed, was enjoying this to no end. He was happy listening to anyone who would only further confirm that she and Jacob were not a match made in Heaven.

But, Bella still had a question. "I can forgive you, sure. But, why tell my father what we are? I don't blame you for doing it. I mean, it's been kind of a weight off, but I was just wondering why you did it."

Billy shifted in his chair, and turned away. He snickered a hollow, mirthless laugh. "I hadn't planned on betraying the treaty. Likewise to you, I wasn't sure if it still existed anymore." He sighed, and everyone grew perfectly still, waiting expectantly for what was to come. "Charlie came over. He'd just received a particularly dismissive email from you, and was feeling pretty sorely. He bit my head off over something...I can't quite remember what...and then we got into it thick and loud. A lot of strong words were said. Some by him, some by me. And then…it just…came out. The moment I said it, I knew I was up the creek. Couldn't take it back, though. Not something you can easily forget. Not a simple slip of the tongue, telling your best friend that his daughter's a _**vampire**_. You should've seen his face... Never seen anybody look like that before. Like I just shot his dog."

At that moment, Bella could only feel infinitely grateful for one thing: that it had not been she who told Charlie the truth.

"So," Billy continued, now squarely looking Bella in the eye, "I suppose I owe you an apology. Not my secret to tell. Through the years, you've all managed to keep up on your side of the bargain, present company excepted I should add..."

"Not the same thing," Bella said quickly, before Edward could begin droning on about how he had never wanted this fate for her. "This was my choice. Remember, I _**wanted**_ this."

"And do you still want it?" Billy shot back, his voice neither kind nor angry. "Tell me, Bella. Satisfy an old man's curiosity. Now that there's no going back, was it everything you hoped it would be?"

Blinking, and dumbfounded as to how to reply, she turned to Edward. His eyes, however, were downcast, his teeth clenched. All wolfish eyes now appeared on her, seemingly wanting in on the juicy details. Just what was it like being a vampire?

"Uh..." she began uncertainly, "no. Things didn't quite happen the way I thought they would. But, do they ever? Embry, was this what you thought your life was going to be like?"

Glancing from side to side, not liking in the least to be singled out, Embry replied, "I dunno. I guess not."

"You see?" Bella said, as if having just proven her thesis. "Life never turns out the way we think it will. It doesn't matter if I'm talking about a job, a relationship, or even how you imagine the rest of your life. No matter how you plan it, life is always going to intercede. Do I regret my decision? Absolutely not." At last Edward's eyes lifted from the floor, meeting hers. They were filled with hope. "Actually, I think I'm kinda lucky. All things considered..."

A silence filled the room, and the werewolves contemplated her words. Their lives had not been so very different. Not one of them asked for what they became. Providence has a way of letting you know in due course what you're supposed to be doing with the time that is given to you. Bella still wasn't altogether sure what her's would entail. But, one thing she knew for certain. With Carlisle and Esme as her guides and Edward supporting her through the millennia, one way or another, she would strive to make the world a better place.

"Well, I know one thing for certain," Quil piped up, a mischievous grin spreading onto his face. "Despite the change in your favourite Frostee flavour, you still seem the same, old Bell to me."

A few of the others who knew her better chuckled and nodded their heads in agreement. As time passed, they became more relaxed, and slowly they migrated to other parts of the room, sitting on the floor, or hauling in chairs from other rooms. It was not until nearly three hours later that Edward and Bella left, actually shaking hands with most of the tribe as they went. Only Paul wished to be excluded from this, but neither Edward nor Bella felt this as any great loss. As it was, they parted company with the wolves on amicable terms, paving the way for times to come. Perhaps Bella's vision of Tatiana in the kitchen, and the boys watching soccer, and she and Edward going for a visit was not that far fetched after all. In the end, she could only hope.

Back on the road, the truck humming beneath them as it struggled to make it up a hill, Edward turned to Bella, smiling. "Okay, you were right."

Eyebrows instantly raised, she could not help but look at him in shock. "Did you just say what I thought you said?"

"I have been known to make an error in judgement now and again. I've never claimed perfection..."

Bella giggled. She was prepared to milk this for all that it was worth. "That's rich coming from someone who thinks that they're always right."

Shaking his head indignantly he said, "I don't think that I'm always right."

"Oh, _**okay**_..." she replied, a clear note of sarcasm in her voice.

"Totally unfair," he said, half laughing at himself, as well as feeling the injustice of her claim. "It's just when I _**know**_ that I'm right, and other people fight me on it..."

"What about the times, like this one, where you're clearly wrong, but think you're right?"

Laughing in spite of himself, Edward replied, "Well, as it happens so rarely, I don't think I really need worry about it."

The two continued to laugh at their own absurdity, simply enjoying the happy moment. It was rudely interrupted by Bella's phone. She reached for it, oblivious to Edward's smile vanishing from his face. He didn't have any motive for that reaction. No voice, no premonition beyond a gut-wrenching feeling that this was bad news...

"Hello?" Bella said, her smile still on her face. "Demetri!" she called, casting a wary look Edward's way. Sure enough, he wasn't happy. "How are you? Did you talk to Carlisle?"

Edward was torn between watching the road, and staring at every subtle turn of expression that altered her face. Her smile faded, and she cast a frightened glance Edward's way. "Demetri, hold on. Edward's here. Give me a minute." Holding the phone against her chest she said, "Edward, pull over."

"What is it? What's wrong?" he asked, his voice ringing with concern as he pulled the truck onto the side of the road.

Bella didn't answer him. She couldn't find the words. This simply scared her too much. "Hold on," she said, and clicked a button on her cell phone. "Demetri, can you hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Demetri replied over the speaker. "Hey Edward."

"Demetri," Edward replied darkly.

"Now, Demetri... Tell Edward what you just told me," Bella said, her frightened eyes nervously watching Edward's reaction. He looked calm and cool, but that could not have been farther from the truth.

"It's like this," Demetri began, his voice sounding far away and hallow as it echoed through the speaker. "I've still got some contacts at the Villa. Keep your enemies closer, right? Well, there's a rumour going round. Got a whiff of it the other day when I called to confirm that Bella had successfully completed her mission. I was speaking to Felix, and he casually let something slip. Something that...worried me. So, I did a bit more digging and pestering. There are still a few people at the Villa that I know I can trust."

"What was the rumour?" Edward asked, his brow furrowed.

Demetri sighed. "Jane. She and Alec are gone."

"Gone?" Edward repeated. "Gone where?"

"That's what's been so difficult to find out. No one wants to say. Something's not right. If it was a simple job they were on, going to silence a renegade, there'd be no secret. But the fact that no one can give me a straight answer has me worried."

"Were you not able to get anything?" Edward demanded, instantly wanting to ditch the truck and steal a fast car. Were they to expect Jane to show up on their doorstep at any moment? "Is she coming here?"

"I don't think so, but...I can't say for certain." Again Demetri sighed, as though reluctant to say the worst. "Felix did say that she had to catch a flight."

"A flight?" Bella repeated. She was now just as caught up as Edward was in the information, but felt just as clueless. "But, that could be anywhere, for any reason! What if it's not Volturi business?"

"Jane's whole existence is Volturi, Bella," Demetri said, a sadness in his voice. "I think, and I'm taking a wild guess here, Poland. I think she's headed to Poland."

Bella's stomach dropped as though a half ton weight landed in it. Jacob had been in Poland. That was it. Jane was trying to retrace Jacob's scent and track him... "Is it Jacob? Is she after Jacob?"

"Bella," Demetri replied, "I just don't know. If you're asking for my guess, I'd say yes."

"But what about Bella's deal?" Edward shot back, his voice cutting, as though it were Demetri's fault. "She risked her life, and for what?!"

"Hey!" Demetri replied. "You don't need to convince me that this is a foul, underhanded, slimy thing to do! But, the fact remains, we simply don't know. We're only guessing here. What I heard could just be crap. What we need...is to find out the truth."

"And how exactly do we do that?" Bella asked incredulously. "Go to Volterra and ask the Brethren ourselves?"

"_**NO!**_" Edward and Demetri replied simultaneously.

"Alright..." Bella replied meekly, surprised that they had both responded with such verve. "Just an idea..."

"Volterra is way too dangerous for you and Edward, Bella," Demetri replied. "Caius cannot be trusted."

"What about Aro?" Bella asked. She wasn't ready to cast their relationship aside. He had been her doting grandfather... She found it hard to believe that Aro would just betray her like that.

"That's exactly what I'm thinking," Demetri replied. "You've always been Aro's favourite, Bella. Probably even more so now that you've taken care of Augustin, and shown your worth. What we need to do is meet him somewhere. We need to find a place that we can talk to Aro alone. Ask him straight out... Somewhere where Caius won't overhear."

Edward, however, was less convinced. "And you suppose that Aro would just confess all to Bella? Just like that?"

"Absolutely," Demetri replied, not needing to pause to consider his answer. "Even if he knew that Bella wouldn't like the decision to go after Jacob (if that's what this really is all about), he wouldn't hesitate telling her. What do you think, Bella?"

Bella sat a moment. How many countless hours and days has she spent alone in Aro's company as he taught her of music, books, art, history, and literature? Part had been preparing her for the duel, but that was not the whole. He genuinely cared for her. "He'd tell me," she said at last, certain beyond a reasonable doubt.

"That's it, then," Demetri replied. "Now, we've just got to find a way."

But, Edward knew. He knew the moment the conversation began about separating Aro away from Caius and Marcus. "The wedding. He invited himself to the wedding. It'll be perfect. Minimal security, no sneaking Caius..."

"But, how soon can you pull it off?" Demetri asked. "Jane's already gone. Left two days ago. She could be God knows where by now!"

Edward turned to Bella, his crooked grin adorning his perfect face. "Wanna get married this weekend?"

"_**What?**_" Bella exclaimed. "Just like that?"

"Just like that," Edward repeated, confirming his intention with a slight head nod. "If we're to do this, talk to Aro alone, we'll have to move fast before Jane does whatever she's planning to do."

Bella thought a moment. Renee was going to freak. They had just had a conversation that very morning about how they had not set a date, and how they had plenty of time. Well, crapola.

"Alright," Bella said, hardly able to think due to her overwhelming state of fluster.

"That's the plan, then, Demetri," Edward said, unable to suppress his grin. "Call Felix, and tell him that the wedding's on Sunday. Think you can do that?"

"No problem," Demetri replied, but he still seemed hesitant about something. "Uh..."

"What?" Edward replied, having a feeling as to what Demetri was going to ask, but hadn't nearly forgiven him enough to help him out.

Demetri paused. "I'll understand if you don't want me and Heidi to be there."

"No, you _**have**_ to come!" Bella shouted, not even caring what Edward's reaction would be. "And not just because you'd come in handy, which, I'm sure you will. I want you there, Demetri. You're...you're my _**brother**_..."

For nearly ten seconds, Demetri could not reply. When he finally said, "Edward?" he voice was thick having been so moved by Bella's gesture.

Edward, however, was feeling far less moved, and believed Bella's courtesy a sheer sign of her inability to see the failings of others. _She never knows what's best for her_, he thought to himself. Yet, at the very least, he wished nothing more than to make her happy. If it pleased her to have a traitor and a liar at their wedding, so be it.

But, he would make certain that Emmett would be watching...

"Of course you can come," Edward replied, earning a grateful smile from his betrothed. Already, it felt worth it.

Two minutes later after further discussions and confirmations of plans, Demetri hung up, and Bella flipped her phone closed.

"Sunday then?" she asked, hardly able to believe it.

"Sunday," he affirmed, feeling a peculiar sense of excitement and anxiety at the same time. "We'll have to make up an excuse to tell your parents why we're leaving so much earlier than planned."

"Whoa, wait! _**What?**_" she asked, her smile vanishing from her face. "You mean, you don't want them to come?"

"It's too dangerous, Bella. You want to invite three humans to our wedding with Aro and God knows who there with him? Do you have any idea what he will say when he sees them? It's not like we'll be able to hide them in a closet!"

"They're coming," Bella replied resolutely. "I have not caused them to suffer through all of that for a whole year, only to do it yet again. I won't do it, Edward, so don't even think of asking it of me."

"Bella, it's the only way! I don't see why you would risk endangering their lives..."

"Well, we won't get married then," she interrupted. "Not this Sunday, at least. I'm not kidding, Edward. I'll do whatever it takes to protect them there, but if you want to marry me this Sunday, they're coming. End of story."

Edward did what he normally would do when aggravated nearly beyond distraction. He clenched his teeth together, and glared at his offending target.

Bella, however, did not heed his behaviour. He was acting nothing more than a child, not getting what he wanted. His motives may have been for the best, and she could see the merit in them, but after so much suffering, she simply would not put her parents through yet another ordeal of her not being able to be honest with them.

"Aro won't hurt them..." she said, though not nearly with enough enthusiasm. It showed her underlying fear that she may be wrong.

"You seem to have a predominantly high consideration of Aro's ability to forgive. Forgive Jacob... Forgive you... Aren't you asking an awful lot of him?"

"Didn't he ask an awful lot of me?!"

"Beyond any doubt," he shot back. "But he won't see it that way. You don't know his thoughts; you haven't seen inside his head."

"Would he kill them?" She thought it best to ask outrightly what he thought.

And, just as she expected, he replied, "You know I don't know that, Bella."

"Well, I do...pretty much. You may get the opportunity of seeing inside Aro's head, but you haven't spent as much time with him as I have. I know what I'm asking of him."

Edward sighed. This would be considerably more complicated than he had originally expected. "Have it your way. But, I think you'll agree that we should place Esme or Alice with them at all times, just in case."

"Sure," Bella replied, actually surprised that he had relented so easily.

Just then, the phone rang again, but this time it was Edward's phone. Clicking it on speaker, he said, "Hello?"

"Sunday?!" Alice's exasperated voice rang clearly through the speaker. "Is that what I just saw? Are you serious? Where's the fire?"

Edward gave Alice the low down with all that Demetri had told them. Alice, it seemed, was torn between the sudden excitement of planning an impromptu wedding, and the more practical problems that would arise.

"Why?" Edward asked, sensing her inner struggle. "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing important," Alice replied. "It's just...the timing. You see...we have guests right now. Tanya, Irina, and Kate are down from Denali..."

It was Bella's turn now to dislike the choice of guests. She knew they very well couldn't kick them out for the wedding, and she had never met the trio, and had nothing in particular against them; except for the knowledge that one, Tanya, had been in love with Edward. No doubt stemming from her own insecurity and feelings of inadequacy, she couldn't help but dislike this unknown vampire, no doubt gorgeous and brimming with self-confidence and composure.

Sensing Bella's change in mood, Edward was reluctant to reply straight away. He turned to Bella expectantly, upon which she indifferently replied, "Sure. I don't care."

He didn't need to hear her thoughts to know she was lying. Finding it incorrigibly, irresistibly cute, he squeezed her hand. "Alright, Alice. The more the merrier."

"Oh my God!" Alice said, instantly becoming a tizzy of excitement. "There's so many things left undecided! Flowers. Music. Minister..."

"We trust you to take care of all the details," Edward replied. "Oh! And you can expect several more guests. Aro and who knows how many of his minions, as well as Charlie, Renée, and Phil."

Blatantly disregarding any consideration for Aro, Alice merely exclaimed, "This means _**food**_! Oh, _**thank you**_, you two! Now I won't have to worry about how to fill up the tables!"

"Just...don't go overboard," Edward warned. "Remember, there's only three of them..."

"I won't," Alice insisted, clearly over the moon. "I promise, I won't. Alright. I've got to go. There's so much to do! I'll call you soon, okay?"

Barely waiting for a reply, Alice hung up, and again Edward and Bella were left alone.

It was Edward who broke the silence at last. "So...didn't like the idea of Tanya coming, huh?"

Bella shrugged her shoulders, avoiding his gaze. "There's a history there between you, is all. It's weird."

"Unrequited lust," he replied. "Nothing more. Okay?"

Turning to look at him, she nodded her head. "Okay."

Reaching over and stroking her cheek with the back of his hand he said, "She just didn't interest me. Ever. You never have to worry about being compared with her. There is no comparison."

What girl's heart wouldn't melt at such a sentiment, so smoothly given, and with such softness of speech? At once, Bella was at ease. There would be plenty of time later to worry about Tanya. Right now, there were bigger fish to fry, as well as problems to solve...

Like what to tell her parents, for one.

"We're going to need to warn them about Aro..." Edward said, his brow frustrated with thought. "That they're not to go near him... But why?"

"Here's a novel idea. How about we tell them the _**truth**_?"

"The truth?"

"About who he is. What he eats. Why he's dangerous. What we want from him. Everything."

"_**Everything?**_ Even about what he asked you to do to the Vicomte?"

That gave Bella pause for thought. She had already confessed to one murder that day. That seemed like plenty. "Alright, maybe not _**everything**_..."


	51. Promise

**_A/N:_ Well, what to say? This is it; this is the end. I sincerely hope you enjoy. Thank you again to everyone who reviewed last chapter. I sincerely appreciate it!**

**This is the longest chapter I have ever written. Ever. My word processer claims it is 8957 words, but FF claims it to be 9284. Regardless, it's a monster. Hope you enjoy it! **

* * *

**51. PROMISE**

Running his fingers through his hair one last anxious time, Edward stood back, staring at his own apprehensive reflection. Despite the anxiety quaking within his stomach, he smiled, smoothing his hands over his lapel, making sure everything was in place.

Emmett and Jasper had decided to stay with him, the better to give him guidance prior to the wedding. An impish grin forever etched onto Emmett's face, he couldn't resist but ask his still-single brother, "Now, do you need any last minute wedding night tips, Bro?"

Edward's sardonic look spoke volumes without words. It proved sufficient, at least, to send Emmett into a fit of hysterics.

"No thank you, Emmett," Edward replied frigidly. "Not that you need share anything. Trust me, I have a difficult enough time pushing your perverted thoughts out of my head as it is."

"Just thought I'd offer," Emmett replied, indifferent to Edward's needle-like remarks.

Jasper noticed that this was one instance where Edward had not objected to his having calmed his nerves. He looked at him, so deep in contemplative thought. "Isn't that the tux you wore to Carlisle and Esme's last wedding?"

"Yeah," Edward replied, his eyes fixated on every last detail of his person. He wanted to look perfect for her. "There wasn't time to have a new one cut and altered, so I thought I'd take a rummage through the old closet." He smiled in spite of himself. He hadn't planned this, but it felt so right. "Funny how things work out."

Curious, Jasper asked, "How do you mean?"

"This is the tux I wore to prom with Bella." Again, Edward turned back to the mirror. He appeared exactly the same as he had three years before. It still fit like a glove, and as it had only been worn twice before, was just as sharp.

Emmett could see Edward's brow forever furrowed with distress, and simply could not contain a snort of ridicule. "Don't worry, Bro. You're only getting married!"

"I'm not stressed about getting married," Edward replied, shoving his hands in his pockets and turning around. "I'm stressed about Aro arriving, possibly with Jane in tow, only to eat Bella's parents, sucking them dry, causing a blood feud between our two families, which...I rather think we would lose. Terribly. That's what worries me." He thought a moment, having just considered another potentiality. "_**And**_ possibly Bella wising up, figuring out at the last minute that I don't deserve her, and skipping out. I'm a little worried about that, also."

"Bella's not going anywhere," Jasper assured him, sensitive enough not to tease him as Emmett chose to do. "And Aro... Well, I can't say anything about Jane, we'd have to ask Alice about that. We'll be taking every precaution to ensure Bella's parents are safe. Trust us, Edward. We all want your day to be a happy one."

Edward could do little more than sigh and nod his head. Not even Alice knew for certain what the day would bring... She had spent what spare time she had with last minute preparations trying to bring forth a vision. What she only received were flashes of seemingly random images. Either due to her overworked brain, or the stress of organizing such an event in only a few days, her power suddenly proved pretty powerless.

Suddenly, a knock sounded on the door.

"Come in, Rosalie," Edward beckoned, having read whose thoughts were behind the door.

She stepped in wearing a stunning red slip dress, clinging to her every curve.

"You look nice, Rose," Edward offered with a smile.

There were fewer things which Rosalie liked to hear more. Considering the person giving the praise, she smiled for knowing that Edward was not one to throw away a compliment. "Thanks. You too. Hey, I thought I'd pass along–"

"Demetri and Heidi are here," Edward finished for her, his mind reading capabilities quicker than her mouth. "Emmett, would you...?"

"I'm on it," Emmett replied, and in a flash, was out the door with Rosalie, his hand like a magnet onto her satiny smooth bum.

"He's right, ya know," Emmett whispered into her ear, instantly turned on by the mixture of her intoxicating scent and his favourite perfume.

"Thanks," she said, her smile now more radiant as they made their way down the steps. "Is that the tux from our last wedding?"

"You know it, Babe," Emmett replied.

There seemed something timelessly romantic about a wedding where so many guests wore attire from their own happiest days. The memories tangible, the air of the house was a strange mixture of excitement, unease, and the sweet courtships of days gone by.

Waiting by the front door looking uncomfortably lost, stood Demetri and Heidi. "Hey, you guys," Emmett welcomed, his sexual charge vanishing with the others now present. "Glad...you could make it."

"Thanks," Demetri replied, wrapping his arm reassuringly around Heidi's waist. There was undoubtedly a distance between the two brothers now that hadn't been there not two weeks prior. He couldn't blame any of them for hating him, but nor did he one hundred precent regret his decisions. Through tumultuous turmoil, they all had all escaped unscathed.

Upon Demetri going to see Carlisle immediately after Paris, they withdrew into Carlisle's study, only to emerge several hours later. The whole ordeal had worried Esme, but she embraced this new wayward girl with open arms. Heidi was unsure to say the least, and felt she had long lost the need for any type of mother in her life.

But in those hours spent alone with an indulgent stranger, she experienced a different way of life. What actually hurt more than the knowledge that they were soon to be cast out and ostracized, was that this place with so much warmth and heart, at last gave the sense of 'home' that had long forsaken her.

Now, returning, they looked upon the Cullens with wary eyes. She did not know Rosalie, but recognized something else without a shadow of a doubt. "Killer dress," she said with desirous eyes. "Chanel? Not from this season?"

"The very same," Rosalie replied, thrilled for both the envy and knowledge. "You know your Haute Couture."

"Milano is so close to Volterra, you know..." Heidi replied, catching sight of the boredom hazing over Demetri and Emmett's eyes.

Rosalie and Heidi began talking about shopping at various European destinations, while Emmett whispered under his breath, "Chicks and clothes, Bro..."

"Straight," Demetri replied, only to blink twice at a curious woman in a dark blue dress looking extremely harassed. She was _**human**_!

"Oh, Emmett! There you are!" Renée said as she rushed up to him. "Have you seen Alice? We need her advice. What's-his-name... 'Scary Vampire Man'... Arrow..."

"Aro..." Emmett corrected, barely suppressing a snort.

"That's the one!" Renée exclaimed. "Well, he's not here yet, and it's already quarter past five! Should we start without him, do you think, or would that be a faux-pas?"

"Let me get Alice for ya," Emmett said, his throat in fiery pain from suppressing the laughter which desperately wished to escape. Pulling out his cell phone, he said, "Renée, have you met Demetri? Demetri, this is Bella's mom, Renée."

"Pleased to meet you," Renée said smiling, holding out her hand.

"The pleasure is entirely mine," Demetri replied smoothly, taking her hand, and giving a slight bow as he brought it up to his cool lips.

Instantly Renée melted to his old-fashioned manners, and she at once had to remind herself that she was happily married!

Emmett closed his phone with a snap, pocketing it. "She says not to worry, Renée. She seems to think he'll be right...here."

He paused his last word, for right then, in floated none other than Aro, himself. He seemed to clash with the light, lively decorations with its pastel colours and sprays of flowers. His long black robe and hair stood out so much, one could not possibly miss him.

Renée certainly did not, nor spotting his entourage, and jumped with a start. "Oh!" Not waiting for an introduction this time, she turned tail and bolted as quickly as her four inch heels would allow.

Her fleeting figure, so ungraceful compared to the willowy, dance-like mobility of vampires, sadly stood out like a sore thumb. So much so, that Aro's eyes were immediately drawn to her, and watched her disappear up the stairs and around a corner.

Esme was tucking the last of Bella's curls into place when into Bella's room Renée escaped, nearly breaking her ankle in the effort to make a clean getaway. "He's here! I just saw him!"

Bella immediately turned a wary eye Esme's way. Her mother-in-law-to-be only smiled kindly, calmly shaking her head. "He is one of Carlisle's oldest friends. Aro may not live as we do, Bella, but he does have manners."

Bella bit her lip fretfully. "Do you think I should go talk to him now?"

"No," Esme said firmly. "Whatever they're up to, it will not change in an hour's time."

Bella could only nod her head in reply, and pray to God that Esme was right. "Is a young girl with short, brown hair with him?" Bella anxiously asked her mother as Esme pinned on her veil. "Looks like the angel of death?"

"I...I...I don't quite know," Renée stammered, flustered. "I wasn't paying attention to who was with him. Everything you told me about this 'Aro' person has got me so nervous I nearly _**peed**_ myself when I saw him. Perhaps he won't notice that I'm _**not**_ a vampire?" Renée stared expectantly at her daughter, hoping beyond anything that she, Phil, and Charlie might simply blend in with the seraphic images of perfection surrounding them.

"I'm afraid not, Mom," Bella replied sympathetically. She knew she was asking no small favour for them being there that day, tempting fate and playing with fire. "He'd smell you a mile away."

Blinking and thoroughly appalled, Renée exclaimed, "Did you just say he'd '_**smell**_' me?!"

Bella was then forced into a chaotic, apologetic clarification of a vampire's keen sense of smell, and not, as how Renée originally mistook her meaning, by insinuating that she had not bathed in weeks.

Feeling slightly more comforted, Renée could not help but now sniff herself, wondering if becoming a vampire merely drove them all crazy.

"Don't worry," Esme said to her kindly, placing her cool hand on her arm. "You smell lovely."

"Thank you," Renée replied, not quite certain what to make of the whole thing.

Bella rose out of the chair, and standing in front of the mirror, gazed at her reflection with eyes of wonder. Instantly, Renée threw all thoughts of her body odour aside, and she and Esme smiled back at Bella's likeness, glowing with weepy pride.

It was true, Bella had never considered herself much to look at. But here, this day, in such a dress, was the prettiest she had ever before felt. She had never been a girly-girl, or revelled in the thought of a new dress as Alice and Rose did, but this was one dress she very much admired herself in.

The gown itself was flawless. The skirt was made of thick, étoile satin, overlayed loosely with soft, duchesse lace. The front held another drapery of vintage lace, hanging well below her knees, and synched up toward the back of her waist. The bodice was covered with the same satin and lace, and was smooth against her skin, acting as a corset. Sleeveless, but for the dainty caps which just hung off her shoulders, they were decorated with seed pearls, and clear glass beads. Finishing off around her Florentine neckline was the finest antique Brussels lace money could buy.

"Oh, Bella..." Renée cooed, wiping an assertive tear away from her eye.

"You really think so?" Bella asked, turning around, her veil exposing one bare shoulder.

"Oh, yes!" Renée and Esme exclaimed at once and together. Unable to control the overwhelming sense of painful happiness welling up in their chests, they swooped in, both wrapping their arms around her.

The door opened, and in strode Charlie, Alice hanging off his arm. He was dressed smartly in an unassuming black suit, while Alice practically blushed with colour in her pearly pink, tea-length bridesmaid's dress. "We're ready when you are, Bella," Alice said, smiling. "Everyone's here, including Aro."

"Is Jane with him?" Bella asked, apprehensively. The last thing she wanted was that conniving, little demon-seed spoiling the happiest day of her existence thus far.

"No," Alice replied, shaking her head. "But, someone else is... The man with him on his last visit."

"Felix?!" Bella replied, aghast. "Oh, _**God**_!" Felix was nowhere near as bad as Jane, but all the same, not much of an improvement. "Where's Phil? Is he protected?"

Alice smiled reassuringly. "Sitting between Jasper and Demetri."

That should have soothed Bella's worries, but somehow the knowledge of her step-father sitting in between two recovering man-eating vampires left her with a thorough sense of dread. She was heartily glad that Alice could not read her thoughts, for she was sure her lack of confidence in her family would only have caused hurt feelings.

"Don't worry!" Alice said firmly, striding up to her and clasping onto her hands. "This is your and Edward's happy day. Trust us. We have everything sorted out. We won't let anything happen to anyone. I promise."

Realizing that what she was most lacking was a sense of trust, Bella could not help but feel ashamed. It was uncharitable by far. The Cullens had always striven to protect her. Now, her parents, a further extension of their own family, naturally they would protect them just as vigorously. She would trust them. "Okay," Bella replied, resolved to not micro-manage the situation, and have faith in her family's abilities.

At last sensing that Bella believed her, Alice let out a small sigh of relief. She moved off to the side, knowing Charlie was itching for his turn with the bride.

Sure enough, the moment the way was clear, his stepped up to her. At first his eyes seemed hesitant to meet hers, but eventually they found their way up to her expectant face. Nodding his head, he said, "Beautiful, Bells. Really... Beautiful."

Her chin giving a threatening wobble, she said, "Thanks, Dad," and wrapped her arms around him, careful not to hold on too tightly.

They drew apart, and Bella could not help but let a small laugh escape her. This was it! The moment she and Edward had long waited for. In a world where marriage vows were thrown away like confetti, choosing to spend all of eternity with the love of your life seemed special, indeed. They would never betray each other's trust. Never cheat. Never change their minds and walk away. Through thick and thin, good and bad, they would be a united front. Inseparable to the very last.

"Ready, Bella?" Alice asked, her golden eyes dancing with excitement.

"Yeah," Bella said, taking her bouquet of white roses and freesia from Esme's outstretched hand. "I'm ready."

There was no more to be said. At once, they made their way out. Charlie took Bella by the arm, the proud father carefully guiding her down the stairs. Perhaps he still feared her human, clumsy ways would make a stumbling comeback, or possibly, he was simply desirous of having her so close to him for one last time. Bella didn't know, but she delighted in his warmth and support.

A casual observer would never guess that Alice had only three days in which to decorate the house in preparation for the grand affair. Garlands of pink roses and creamy white hydrangea hung from bannisters, above doorways and windows. In the dining room and living room, white twinkle lights cast a canopy of stars overhead. Tables were laden with food and hors d'oeuvres enough for fifty guests, never mind three. The monumental centrepiece being a three tier wedding cake, creamy pink with snowy white lacework. No plastic bride and groom topper here. Instead, an antique silver compote was used, brimmed with blushing rosebuds.

Bella took it all in as they walked, awed how their home could be so transformed into a fairyland of romance and magic. "You've outdone yourself, Alice," she whispered, so very much in awe.

"Oh, I'm so glad you like it!" Alice said, giving Bella's hand a quick squeeze.

The inside, however, was nothing compared to the subtle, resplendent splendour that the outside prevailed to be. Eight seven foot tall, iron candelabras lined the silken path that Bella would take to make her vow. Each candelabra held a dozen long, white tapers, and a streaming organza garland, leading along the primrose path. There were twenty-four chairs in all, three rows of four on either side.

Set in their private fenced garden, they were free to be themselves, not having to hide from prying, human eyes. In the evening radiance of a cloudless day, the waning sunlight washed down upon them in warm waves, setting each vampire's skin aglow with a profusion of diamond-like sparkles.

But one's eyes were immediately lead forward to the crowning glory, a magnificent iron gazebo, appearing like a giant birdcage, coiled in twinkling lights, as well as boughs of ivory and blushing roses alike.

Esme moved fleetingly to her seat in the front row, and at once the music began. Bella gasped as the soft piano echoed all around them, memories and feelings washing over her. "Alice," she breathed, catching her a step before she was to make her entrance. "Did Edward tell you to pick this music?"

Smiling coyly, Alice replied, "He wanted to surprise you. He said you'd know what it meant." Turning her head, Alice slowly began her descent down the aisle.

_Clair de lune_...

"Bells?" Charlie's rough voice hummed, breaking her inward meditation. "You sure you want to do this? I left the car running by the front door, just in case, and I've got my gun with me. We can make a run for it."

The sheer ridiculousness of Charlie's getaway plan made Bella giggle out loud. "Appreciate the thought, Dad, really. But...I'm kinda keen on doing this."

Nodding his head, resolved to whatever fate would become them, he replied, "Whatever makes you happy."

Smiling, Bella gratefully drew her father's arm around her right, and linked her left arm with her mother's. "I am happy."

Bella's eyes only saw one thing: a tall dark man standing neath a flowering, glistening bower. Edward. He was waiting for her.

Together, arm in arm, parents and daughter, they strode down the aisle. They passed guests with smiling faces, the flickering candles, and a profusion of flower laden bows. Bella did not see them. Her eyes were lured forward as though by an invisible string. There Edward stood waiting for her, looking flawless in the radiating embers of the setting sun, his copper hair shining in the eventide glow.

His devoted face drew her in, and with every step closer to him, it felt more right than the last. Some people really do stay together forever. She was determined that they, too, be one of those success stories. Their 'forever' might be longer than others, but what of heaven? Could not their heaven simply be here on earth?

It was not until the end of the runner had been reached and they stopped that Bella reluctantly turned her gaze from the man she was marrying, to the man who was performing the ceremony.

To someone who did not know, he would have appeared almost too young to be performing such a sacred service. And yet, he was the second eldest person present. Staring at his two lovely children, Carlisle said, "We have come together on this special and auspicious day to celebrate the joining of two hearts. Of Bella, and Edward."

The two so named peeked at each other out of the corners of their lashes, smiling some unspoken secret to each other. On and on Carlisle went, his voice melodious as the soft piano played in the background. He spoke of love and devotion, a rare form of contented happiness for their kind. That despite all things dark and evil, from the depths of the pits of loneliness and despair, a jewel can arise. True love.

Had Bella the ability to cry, she believed she would have been moved nearly to tears with his powerful words. She could hardly believe that he was speaking of _**her**_. Of _**them**_. It seemed too beautiful, too special. But, perhaps her and Edward's love really was as rare and precious as Carlisle deemed. Something to be cared for and cherished. Nurtured with each passing day. A gift not to be taken lightly, or neglected. That no matter how many days or centuries passed, they would remain constantly as one, their love not to be taken for granted.

Carlisle asked a question, snapping Bella from her reverie. Luckily, it was not she who had to answer. To her right, Charlie's voice, gruff and tight with emotion said, "Her mother, step-father and I do."

Suddenly realizing Charlie had been asked, 'Who gives this woman in Holy matrimony?', Bella turned to her father, receiving a gripping hug. He did not even bother trying to hide his tears. He displayed them proudly, for they also spoke of true, unending love. A father's love, for his only daughter.

He stepped backward, and Bella turned to Renée, likewise brimming with smiles and tear-filled eyes. Another hug, another kiss, and they retreated to their seats beside Esme.

Raising her skirt slightly so as to not trip on her way to the altar, Bella looked up to see Edward there, his glistening hand outstretched. She gladly took it, and rose up the three steps separating her from 'now' and 'forever'.

Carlisle smiled heartily, rapture seeming to emanate from within him. He could never wish for more for his children. There was nothing a parent desired other than their child's happiness. And now that their moment was here, not one person present seemed to think it less than what it was. Awe-inspiring.

Ten minutes later, vows exchanged as well as rings, the couple had one last duty to perform. The sky turning a brilliant orange and purple overhead, they kissed, being proclaimed husband and wife.

Weddings truly are joyous times, for as everyone present rose and converged around the felicitous pair, congratulations were shouted, and hugs and kisses were given out like Halloween candy.

It was at this time that Bella drew her attention away from her beloved bridegroom, and began noticing her guests. While their family and friends swarmed around them, Aro's cloaked guards hung back. She recognized each of them, and knew several by name. They all seemed content to be there, many of them allowing smiles to grace their faces.

It was at this time that the three guests whom Bella did not know were at last introduced to her. She probably could have identified Tanya a mile away, or in a room with a thousand people. What little she knew of her, epitomized her being. Tanya's smiles Bella way may have appeared sincere, but when turned to look at Edward, a look of longing came over her face.

Bella saw all. The demon within would have had her sucker-punch the girl, snarling, _"He's mine, Bitch!"_. Envisioning the scenario in her mind proved sufficient. Edward wrapped his arm around Bella's waist, and she delighted in the gesture.

"Irena, Kate, Tanya," Edward began, his velvety voice sounding like music, "allow me to introduce my wife to you. Bella."

Smiling, they all shook hands, extending polite regards, best wishes, and other pleasantries.

Tanya gazed at Bella's dark beauty a moment before casually saying, "You're a lucky girl, Bella. We never thought Edward was going to settle down. Tell me, what's your secret for capturing his elusive heart?"

Bella stared into Tanya's caramel eyes appearing almost cat-like under the darkening sky. Her message rang loud and clear.

To everyone else as well, it seemed, for immediately Edward replied, "Tanya..." shaking his head astounded.

"No, it's fine," Bella replied steadily. Three years ago this friendly bullying might've reduced her to tears. She wasn't that scared little girl anymore. She was a vampire. "Edward would say it was the way I smelled. Yummy blood... But I rather think it was my unwillingness to let his spastic emotions control me. That was it. He just couldn't resist me after I continued to ignore him."

There were several lighthearted titters of laughter around them upon hearing Bella's reply. Tanya did not share that with them. She merely smiled, nodding her head in defeat to the victor.

Time to go inside, Bella and Edward surged forward as a meteor shower of rose petals fell upon them like rain, fluttering through the air, landing on human and vampire guard alike.

It was hard to find a moment alone. Bella's hand was clasped steadfastly to Edward's, but between pictures from the multitudes of cameras, they now stood before their loved ones as though the heckling mob had morphed into the paparazzi, all screaming for a pose.

"We need to talk to Aro," she hissed at him during a lull, as everyone there were comparing photos on their digital cameras and iPhones.

"We will. Trust me, he won't leave without speaking to us. Just a few more minutes of this, and things will calm down."

Bella nodded her head, but could not shake her feeling of unease. She turned to her left to see Felix smirking at her. Casually, he looked down at his watch, checking out the time.

In the darkness of the forest, another person was likewise checking the time, but it proved much later in Poland than in Oregon.

Snapping his head up, Jacob sniffed the air around him. He could sense it. There was danger lurking in the shadowy reaches of this night. A waning gibbous moon, nearly full as it flooded the weald with velvety light, meant only one thing. There would be nowhere for him to hide.

His head made a sharp turn to his left. Something was out there. He was not alone.

Like a bolt of lightening, he took off, dashing over leaf-strewn hill and vale alike. Not daring to stop and look back, not risking the time it would take to phase, he ran in human form as fast as his legs would carry him.

But, it was not fast enough.

He could neither see nor hear followers, but the tiny hairs on the back of his neck spoke what he knew in his soul. They were there. They were hot on his trail, and they had come for one reason alone.

To kill him.

When he could run no more, he halted at the base of an ancient willow tree, its long, leafy branches casting a massive veil around him. Chest heaving, trying to catch his depleted breath, his eyes roamed the land, surveying for the slightest moment in the limitless darkness.

And then, they appeared out of the inky depths of night. Two small figures, at first seeming little more than children, but for the swagger in their walk.

Jane and Alec.

"Jacob," Jane's child-like voice called, as though chastising a puppy. "You've been a naughty boy."

"Jane, Alec," Jacob politely replied in greeting, though he appeared to be sweating nervously. "How so? I never signed on for a life sentence with the Volturi, unlike you."

Jane shook her head, smiling smugly. "No one leaves the Volturi, silly Jacob. The Volturi leaves you."

"Interesting," Jacob said sardonically. "It's kinda catchy, really. You should hold onto that phrase, Jane. There's money in it."

But even Alec, it seemed, was in no mood for Jacob's humour. "You can't just up and fly off like you did. You really should know better."

Jacob smiled. "I saw my window of opportunity."

Grinning fiendishly, Jane opened her mouth to reply, but closed it in a hurry, her face turning as grave as a funeral. The air caught a scent, and she turned her head. Alec noticed it to, for he suddenly seemed on high alert.

Then, without word or warning, out of the leafy thicket crept three wolves, hulking so that they cast long, menacing shadows in the milky moonlight.

Jane stiffened, and turned her murderous glare Jacob's way. Smirking, he replied, "You didn't actually think I'd be _**alone**_, did you? Sorry to disappoint..."

It was hard to imaging Jane appearing more furious, but it proved possible. She trembled as the wolves inched closer, their teeth bared and ready for the kill.

"I die," she snarled toward Jacob, turning her torturous furies upon him, causing him to crumple up in a silent scream, "you die with me..."

But, it would not prove so. As Alec swung around, Vladimir and Sacha attacked, tearing him to pieces before Jane's very eyes. In the seconds that followed as she watched her brother scream and being torn apart, Tatiana lunged.

Her powerful jaws knew where to bite. Instinctively, they found their home on Jane's jugular, severing her head with her body in one bone-crushing snap.

Jacob rose off the forest floor. "Aw, Baby! You finished her off, and I didn't even have a go!"

Whining her apology, Tatiana nudged Jane's corpse toward him with her nose, while her brothers continued to enjoy the ripping, tearing, biting of what was left with Alec's bloody heap.

"Appreciate it, Baby, but I really should make this call before I do that..."

Reaching into Jane's black pants pocket, he pulled out her tiny silver phone. There were several numbers on speed dial. Ignoring all of them, he shot straight for the numbers, dialling away with his thumb.

Thousands of miles away, far on the other side of the Pacific Ocean amidst a wedding attended by humans and vampires, a lone cell phone rang. Its owner proceeded to dig it out of his pocket, and flicking it open, held it up to his ear. "Hello?"

"Hey, Felix," Jacob said, his voice crackling and distant. "It's done."

"Sweet," Felix replied, and reached over, grabbing Bella's hand. "Hey, Bella Baby. Phone for you." Passing her the phone, Felix winked at her and strode away.

"Hello?" Bella asked, pressing the phone to her ear.

"Hey, Bells," Jacob's sing-song voice rang through despite the long distance. "How ya holding up? I understand congratulations are in order."

"Jacob?" Bella replied, her head swimming. She watched Felix make a beeline for Aro who seemed blithely talking to Carlisle. Felix held out his hand, upon which Aro touched. Smiling and nodding his head, Aro excused Felix with a wave of his hand who strode away toward Demetri and Heidi.

"Bella? _**Hello?!**_ Are you still there?" Jacob shouted.

"Yes!" Bella said, snapping out of detective-mode. "Sorry. Listen to me, Jacob. You're in danger. Jane's on the loose. I don't know where she's headed, but--"

"–Bella..."

"–it might be here," she continued, suddenly aware of her need to warn him. "But, she might be on her way to you!"

"BELLA!" Jacob exclaimed. "It's okay! Jane's...not going to bother us anymore."

"What?" Bella asked, covering her other ear with her hand, the better to hear him. He simply wasn't making any sense. "Sorry, what did you say?"

"I said, we don't need to worry about Jane ever again. You got me? We took care of her."

"Wait...wait..." Bella said, shaking her head, feeling like there was something she was missing. "What are you saying?"

"I'm saying, bing bong, the witch is dead, Bells!"

He simply could not control his laughter, yet Bella continued to have difficulty adding the two together. "She's...dead?"

"You _**have**_ had quite the day, haven't you? Too much excitement. I'll tell you all about it when we get there, alright?"

"Wait! Whoa! Wh...what? I'm confused. Where are you?"

"Poland. Listen, Bells, I really gotta get going. Jane and Alec need to be burned before we head to the airport. Not quite sure why. Do you know?"

But, Bella's brain felt utterly spent. Perhaps Jacob was right. She had simply had too much excitement for one day. "Not off hand," she admitted. "But hold on, Jacob. How did you know Jane was coming for you?"

"Ask Aro. I've got a plane to catch. Does the phrase 'no good deed goes unrewarded' mean anything to you? We're getting a one-way ticket back to Washington. No passports, no visas, no questions asked. How's that strike you?"

"What? How?" Bella asked, her eyes turning to Aro. She was pretty certain she already knew the answer.

"Aro, of course. Listen, Bells, I really gotta go. Think I know the reason why we have to burn them. Jane's fingers are starting to twitch. Better chew her up some more."

"Alright," Bella said, revolted and confused at the same time. "Have fun."

"Oh, _**I will**_," he replied, with a little more ferociousness than necessary.

Making quick arrangements for him to call again upon arrival, Bella hung up the phone, closing it was a soft snap.

Bella felt she had waited long enough to speak with Aro. Avoiding all eyes as she walked passed, she remained fixed on her goal. As though feeling her determination, Carlisle turned his head her way, looking curiously at her.

"Ah, the breathtaking bride!" her new father said, smiling, yet trying to read her unreadable face.

"My dear friend," Aro said to Carlisle, but looking entirely at Bella, "if I could have private word with Bella..."

"But of course, Aro," Carlisle replied and stepped away, his thoughts already calling Edward to his side.

"My dear Bella," Aro cooed, his old grand fatherly aura having returned since their last meeting. "How beautiful you look. White becomes you. You should wear it more often, I think."

"The Vicomte liked white," Bella said, boldly. "His entire palais was covered in it."

"Yes, Augustin always did have a flair for the dramatic."

Bella's eyes bore into his. Was he trying to make her _**beg**_ for answers? Surely he owed her more than that!

Sensing that she was waiting, he smiled and took her hand in his. No insight into her thoughts came from the effort, but he attempted to give her the message of fondness. "My dear Bella, you appear cross with me. Why, may I ask?"

"Two words," Bella replied, her eyes unforgiving. "Augustin and Jane."

He stared at her pensively for a moment. "But, my dear Bella, I always had complete faith in you. I knew that Augustin, despite his abilities, was no match for you. And now, see how you stand before me! More powerful than ever before. You positively radiate strength, my dear. I _**defy**_ someone to cross you!"

"Did you not cross me? Sending Jane after Jacob?"

His face remained unchanged, but for his eyes. "So, you heard of that, did you? I am sorry for it."

"Did you do it, Aro?" Bella begged, her voice almost a whisper. "Did you break our agreement?"

"Certainly not, my dear! Frankly, the accusation offends me..."

His eyes were piercing, which made her second guess everything she had been obsessing over for the past three days.

"I see I must convince you," he said gently after a minute. "You recall the day you were told your duty? The day our pact was made? Well, it seemed, after you left, my brother had certain...reservations on the accord."

"Caius..." Bella replied, her eyes not even bothering to hide her hatred for him. "He sent Jane after Jacob, didn't he?"

Aro sighed. He did not like to tell such goings on, but felt that, in the end, some sort of explanation was owed. "He did."

A shudder passed through Bella, and she closed her eyes, trying to suppress the raging demon within. _Caius! Did nothing ever change? _

"My dear Bella," Aro said, patting her hand affectionately, "before you falsely condemn me for any sort of betrayal, allow me to enlighten you." Intrigued, Bella opened her eyes. At last gaining her undivided attention, he continued. "I am a creature of my word. I gave you my promise, Bella, to let both Jacob and Edward go free. None, not even dear Caius, would have prevented me from maintaining my oath."

"Even at the expense of losing Jane?" Bella asked, skeptically.

"Yes, that is a pity, and I dislike waste above all things. But you know, my dear Bella, she was expendable anyway."

"Jane? Really?" Bella questioned. "I thought her a favourite."

"Not _**her**_, my dear. For a time, perhaps, I thought her talent most beneficial for us. However, she caused more problems among the others than seemed blessing."

"Caius won't like it..." Bella warned.

"Caius won't know about it," he said quietly, tapping his nose with the tip of his finger. A sight which she could not help but smile at. "Oh, he shall learn, no doubt, that Jacob survived and Jane and Alec did not. What he shall fail to grasp, however, is _**how**_ Jacob knew to expect them!"

"How did Jacob find out?" Bella thought suddenly. There hasn't been a lot of time from the time they parted at the Eiffel Tower to the present.

"Felix, of course. He continues to be a comfort to me. After Caius had made arrangements of his own, I sent Felix to Paris in hopes of catching young Jacob." Seeing Bella's face startle, he clarified, "To speak to him of Jane, of course."

"But how did you know–"

"–That Jacob would go to Paris? Elementary, my dear Bella. Your actions, and need to save one another only makes you more predictable. I knew you would come to me to save them, just as they would go to save you."

"Oh," she said, musing over his words. At length she stared up at him, and it now appeared that he waited for her to say something. Realization dawned upon her. "I'm sorry, Aro. Sorry that...I automatically thought you broke our bargain."

"Quite alright, my dear, of course. I would just recommend you never make such a pact with Caius. For, in all likelihood, he shant keep it..."

"I'll remember that," Bella said, smiling, rather hoping that she would never see Caius ever again.

"That reminds me, Bella. I have a wedding gift for you. Well, _**two**_, in point of fact."

He handed her a long, thin envelope. Her first thought was money, but that did not seem 'Aro' at all. Curious as to its contents, she peeled back the flap, only to stop. "Maybe I should wait for Edward."

"I give you permission," Aro said, coaxing. "Should he be angry, let it be with me."

Feeling she had little choice but to open the gift, she reached into the envelope, pulling out two tickets. Staring at them, she smiled. "_Tosca_?"

"When thinking of what gift would be appropriate, I was forced to think in eternal terms, my dear. Material goods fail over time, and eventually need replacing. I wished to give you something that lasts forever. I decided to give you beauty, art, music, memories."

Snickering, Bella replied, "The gift that keeps on giving."

"Aptly put, my dear. It is Puccini. Not quite as fine as _La Bohème_, but two of the arias are particularly effulgent. Naturally, I have a ticket as well for this performance. I very much hope that you shall stay with us at the villa."

Bella smiled. Edward wouldn't like this; there was not a doubt in her mind. But as it was, she could not think of one way out of it. "We'd love to come."

"Splendid! And now that is settled, we turn to your other gift. Am I mistaken in believing those to be your parents?"

Immediately, Bella's smile vanished, and her insides felt as though they were suddenly doused in ice water. She followed his gaze to where Renée, Phil, and Charlie stood conversing with Alice and Jasper. Swallowing her suddenly parched mouth, Bella replied, "You're not mistaken. They are my parents." Fear overtook her as she watched him watch them, his eyes saying nothing as to what thoughts turned in his brain.

"You are very brave bringing them here today."

"Yes," she whispered.

"Should you so wish it, I will turn them for you. Personally."

"Oh no, Aro, please! Please let them live! I beg of you!"

Startled by her sudden distress, he pressed his waxen finger to her lips, and smiled. "Fear not, dearest Bella. If you wish it, no harm shall come to them. And yet, I'll remind you that we have rules regarding humans knowing too much..."

"They'll never say anything. They'd never betray me. Please, Aro."

"I am no monster," Aro replied, his blood red irises appearing almost kind. "What Caius does not know, will not kill him."

"Thank you!" she said, sweeping her arms around him. Though ancient beyond imagining, he felt harder than granite neath her grasp, and not an ounce frail. Age did not weaken vampires with time, she observed.

"Yes, my dear, Bella. For you, I am willing to overlook this. But, only for you, understand..."

Bella nodded her head. She could not help but wonder if she now owed Aro another favour.

"Now, my dear. I fear I must mingle..." he said to her, and then floated off, joining the conversation with Esme, Kate and Irena.

Bella's head was swimming. It was all too much. Jacob was alive, Jane was dead, she was married, and her parents were safe. All she needed now, was Edward.

A gentleman cleared her throat, but she knew before turning around (her dress making a dramatic _swoosh_ behind her), that it was most certainly not her husband. "So, Mutt did it, huh? All safe and sound."

Bella stared at the owner of the voice, Felix, and he stared back, a twinkle in his devilish eye. Handing him back his phone, she replied, "I'm curious, Felix. Are you sad to see Jane go?"

"Fuck no!" Felix replied, looking at her as though she were nuts. "A more sour bitch there never before was! Actually, I was a bit sore about how the whole thing ended with Mutt. Always was a fun kid to have around."

"_**You**_ liked a _**werewolf**_?" she teased.

"Weird, huh? Say, is that sister of yours still with that curly-haired bloke? The serious one with zero sense of humour."

"If you mean Alice, then yes. You haven't got a chance."

"Hmpf. What about the blonde one in the red dress? She looks like work, but she's hotter than the fiery pits of hell."

"Rosalie. She's with Emmett, the big guy over there talking to Demetri. On second thought, I _**dare you**_ to make a pass at her. I always thought a wedding should have some form of entertainment."

"Now, Bella, be nice," he said, his eyes dancing with laughter, purely at her expense. "After all, you didn't invite me to your wedding merely to insult me, did you?"

She stared at him a moment, unsure if to take his mocking seriously. Felix loved to play games. "I didn't invite you at all! I invited Aro, and you tagged along!"

"Now, that's uncharitable!" he exclaimed, seeming offended but for the twinkle in his roguish eye. "After all, I get all dressed up, come down here, bearing a wedding gift no less, only to be treated this way. Frankly, Bella, I'm insulted."

His speech was so passionately given that she at once felt contrite. "Really? You actually brought us something?"

He stared at her several moments, only to at last break out into laughter. "No, not really."

She shook her head in disbelief. "Felix, you are incorrigible."

Chuckling at his own joke for having sent her on a roller coaster of emotions, he replied, "I'm only joking. My mother may have been a whore who sold her body for less than half a crown, but she at least taught me that one never goes to a wedding not bearing a gift." With that he reached into his pocket and pulled out a small packet. "Por vous, Madame."

"Oh!" Bella replied, shocked. "Thank you, Felix," She wasn't sure at all how to take his recent confession. One could never tell with Felix what was jest, and what was truth.

All the same, he did not take the statement back, but continued to stare at her. "Well, aren't you going to open it?"

"Oh! Right!" She pulled the ribbon loose on the small box.

"It's not really a wedding present," he said, turning away, avoiding her gaze. "I've never bought one before, and I didn't think you could use human stuff like pots and pans, or silver berry spoons..."

Nodding her head, she pried it open, and stared at the gift in utter and complete surprise. She had expected to find something gruesome like a human ear, or perhaps a fine pair of thumbscrews. As it was, she gaped at the little trinket in the velvet lined box, and back up to his impassive face. "Felix... I don't know what to say..."

It was a necklace, hung on a fine, gold chain. The oval pendant's diameter was no longer than an inch wide, and it glistened with the hanging twinkle lights overhead. On its face was a seemingly painted love scene with a girl on a balcony, her lover staring up at her. For something so incredibly small, the workmanship was beyond exquisite.

She wasn't sure what perplexed her more. The gift, or its past owner. "Is it...?" she began, dumbfounded.

"Romeo and Juliet?" he said, finishing her sentence. "Yeah. I remember you once said you liked it..."

Bella struggled to think back to the time of her life in Volterra. _**Had**_ she mentioned it? Perhaps she had... Suddenly, the memory dawned on her. At the opera! But, that was nearly six months ago, and merely in passing..."Thank you, Felix. It's...amazing."

"Do you know what it is?" he asked eagerly.

"I assumed it was a necklace."

"Clever," he replied dryly. "Of _**course**_ it's a necklace. I meant, do you know what its made out of?"

"Is it not a painting?"

"Nope," he said smugly. "It's a micromosaic. See all that detailing? Those are tiny, microscopic glass beads set in gold. Cool huh? It's over two hundred years old."

Considering whom the gift was coming from, she could not help but be extremely touched by so thoughtful a present. "I've never seen anything like it," Bella replied.

"No, and you won't ever again, so take care of it. It was bloody expensive. Do...do you want me to put it on you?"

"Yeah!" Bella replied, carefully slipping it out of the box and handing him the treasured necklace.

He draped it around her neck, his nimble fingers having no difficulty with the tiny clasp. As she turned around, he stared at her, his brow suddenly furrowed.

"What? What's wrong? What are you staring at? Do I have dirt on my dress?" Bella asked apprehensively, dumbfounded as to why Felix would continue to ogle her so blatantly in public.

"Your dress..." he replied, for once not addressing her boobs.

"What about it? The cut? The style? It's _**supposed**_ to look vintage."

"No, no. It's not that," Felix replied, stepping back and putting his finger to his lips, as though in speculative thought. "It's...the colour."

"What's wrong with the colour?" Bella asked, bewildered. "It's white."

"That's just it," Felix said, then smiling sardonically, gliding in close to her, as though to whisper. "I'm curious, Bella. Is it...a _**white**_ wedding?"

"_**Excuse**_ me?"

"You know what I mean, Bella," he said, flashing his wicked grin. "I know girls nowadays are allowed to wear white regardless of...virginity. I'm just curious if the case is similar with you."

"_**God**_, Felix! You never change, do you? Get your mind out of the toilet, and piss off for once!" She turned away from him, thoroughly disgusted, but he quickly stepped ahead of her, blocking her way.

"Okay, that was rude. I apologize. In all honesty, I couldn't care less if you and Edward _**had**_ done it. Well, maybe 'care less' is not the proper phrase... Perhaps..."

"Whatever, Felix," Bella interrupted, anxious to end the conversation. "What exactly are you after?"

He shot his answer back as though he had been obsessing about it for years on end. "Did you and Jacob ever do it?"

"Seriously? _**That's**_ what you want to know?"

"Yes. Call it...curiosity."

Sighing, Bella told the truth. "No."

"I KNEW IT!" he exclaimed, so loudly that several heads turned in concern. With whip-like speed, his phone was out, and he had already pressed the numbers by the time Bella had time to blink. Upon the call being picked up, he further exclaimed, "Jacob, you lying fuck! I _**knew**_ you never slept with Bella!"

Horrified as several of her wedding guests turned to better hear the commotion, Bella gawked in outrage as he continued to swear loudly into his phone. Turning, Bella saw the dismayed faces of Esme and Phil, and even more embarrassingly, Tanya's smirk. "Felix!" she hissed, smacking him with unmerciful force.

"I gotta go, Mutt," Felix replied, wincing as she struck him. "Bella's about ready to murder me." He flipped closed his phone. "Still have that newborn strength, I see."

"Felix..." she said, barely able to get a word out. "I've...never been more embarrassed..."

"Don't think twice about it, Bella Baby. It's not like I said you _**did**_ do it with him. Actually, I think I did you a favour by clearing up any residual confusion."

"You call that a _**favour**_?!"

He stared at her a moment, and then smiled his saucy grin. "You _**did**_ say you wanted entertainment..." And turning, he strolled away meeting Tanya's gaze.

"Hey," he said, looking her up and down. "How _**you**_ doin'?"

Bella thought it was probably the best Joey Tribbiani imitation she had ever before seen. And dammit to the fiery pits of hell, it worked, for not a second later, Tanya was warming up to him. _They suit each other_, Bella thought viciously.

In a flash, Edward was at Bella's side. "Esme's thoughts were practically screaming for me to get my ass over here," he said, concerned about her present state of fluster. "What's wrong? Is it Felix?"

"No more than the usual Felix antics," Bella replied. "Honestly, I should never be the least surprised with what he says or does..."

"Nice necklace," Edward said, moving in to get a better look. "Micromosaic?"

"How'd you know?" Bella asked incredulously.

But Edward merely smiled his crooked grin, shrugging his shoulder. "Honestly? Felix's thoughts."

"Oh. Oh!" Bella exclaimed, nearly having forgotten the drama of Jacob and Jane. "Jane! She's–"

"–Dead. Yes, I know. No secret with me around... Carlisle and I had much to say on the subject." Suddenly, Edward grabbed her hand and whispered sexily, "Crowded in here. Wanna go for a walk?"

Nodding her head in reply, the two were off, out the front door, around the side of the house, and to the backyard. They were alone as Sinatra singing "All the Way" wafted outside as though carried on a breeze. Back up the silky path they walked, up to the gazebo. The white lights continued to twinkle like stars above their heads, engulfing them in a sea of fireflies.

Without a word, he drew her close, and rose her tiny feet onto his own, just as how he had done all those years ago. "Happy?" he asked hopefully. "I want to make you happy, Bella. Every day."

"You will," she replied, becoming lost in his aura. "And you won't. Not everyone can get along one hundred percent all of the time. But, I'll never leave you. Even when we fight and disagree. Okay? That's my vow. That's what I promise. Through everything that comes our way, we'll face it together. Forever."

He smiled, and kissed her tiny hand. "I promise. No matter what, I will never leave you again. I promise to listen to you, and respect your opinions, even when they're wrong..." There returned his saucy grin. And then, it faded back to seriousness. "I promise to love you all the rest of my days. To be your partner in this life, and hold your hand, every step of the way."

With that, he leaned down again, kissing her. Their lips only brushed together, barely touching, but each time they did, a static shock seemed to travel through their lips. At length, they drew apart, resting their heads on each other's brows.

There's no telling what the future holds. Whether it be for mortals or immortals alike, one is not supposed to know one's entire future. For Edward and Bella, even if their lives extended into the millennia of them repeating high school, they would gladly bear it, for, as two lovers should always be, they would be together.

"Oh," Bella said, pulling her head away. "Something I forgot to tell you. Aro invited us to Volterra. He got us tickets to the opera. Have you ever seen _Tosca_?"

Edward gazed humourlessly at her. "You've got to be joking, right?"

Seeing his face so cynical, she could not help but laugh. "I'm afraid not."

"Please tell me that you didn't say we'd go..."

"It was a wedding gift," she reasoned. "I couldn't refuse a gift!"

"You should have left it to me! I'm certain I could have tried..."

"You always wanted to take me to the opera, remember? What better place to see an Italian opera than in Italy?"

"What better place, indeed," Edward replied darkly, fairly certain that they were not going to get out of this one.

**THE END**

* * *

**_A/N: So, what did you think???_**

**_As always, I'd love you to share your thoughts with me. Whether you've been with me since the beginning, or have never reviewed, please drop me a line now and tell me that you've enjoyed how I've spent my time. _**

**_To all of my readers who have supported me through the past four months, I can't thank you enough. This experience has been a blast, and I'm so happy to have shared it with you._**

**_THANK YOU!!!!_**

**_If you've enjoyed this, please check out my other stories, or stories on my favourites. Some truly awesome ones on there!_**

**_And so, one final and last time, please review!_**


	52. Epilogue

**EPILOGUE**

For Bella in the days following her wedding and the months afterward, she continued to look back on the days of uncertainty and frought with peril, with amazement. Somehow, they had made it out alive. All of them. Except for the Vicomte, Jane and Alec, but none were about to lament their loss. She could not help but wonder at how her parents had taken the news of her becoming a vampire. Grateful that she had not had to break the news, but, oh to be a fly on the wall.

How had they reacted? Carlisle's response to her quarries had been minimal, which she believed borderlined the doctor/patient confidentiality. He must've taken in badly. Renée, she thought, was better, but even Charlie wouldn't give details.

And so, she was always left to wonder. What had their reaction been? When she was off, trying to save Jacob and Edward, what had been going on at home?

* * *

_**A/N: No doubt you are curious as to this new piece. Yes, the story is finished, but a dear friend and reader wanted to know more of the 'back story' of what went on while Bella and Edward were so busy in Europe. **_

_**So, I've decided to post the "Deleted Scenes," scenes that I had worked out, but decided to cut from the final version of the book for various reasons. I sincerely hope you'll click on my handle, and check out: "Eternal Dawn: The Deleted Scenes!"**_


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